Jillian Ongoco

Dr. Seubert
PHSC 2
25 October 2015
Debate Outline
Quote Assigned:
Our most powerful 21st century technologies robotics, genetic engineering, and nanotech are
threatening to make humans an endangered species. Bill Joy
Mini Debate/Opening:
My position is against nanotechnology. Technology is advancing so quickly that international
rules and regulations have not been firmly established, which can lead to its misuse and the
endangerment of the general population. Nanotechnology is already present in products such as
cosmetics, water purification, and some cancer treatments, but consumers risk their health when
exposed to substances that have not undergone thorough research in its toxicity. As a device or
material which cannot be seen by the naked eye nor regular microscopes, nanotechnology should
be a matter of public safety and its applications need more restrictions.
Sources:
o "U.S. Food and Drug Administration"
o nano.gov
o crnano.org
Content:
Rationale #1:
Little/no regulation currently for nanotech
o Companies have the means to produce it
August 2015, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized a
guidance
as long as they put labels disclosing the use of nanotechnology in a
product, companies can use their own judgement about the safety
of their products.
Additional sources:
o "Nanotechnology - Health Effects and Workplace
o Similar problems to drones
If used improperIn the wrong hands, it can endanger lives
Owners have the freedom to do what they wish with the tech
o another way for medicinal/pharmaceutical companies to increase the $ of
medicine
Cancer treatments are costly and will cost more with the intro
No $, no treatment, death
Sources:
Doctors Blast Ethics of $100,000
Pollack, Andrew

Ongoco 2

Rationale #2:
Environmental impact and intellectual divide
o Mineral/raw materials from developing world countries; Manufacturing in
developed world countries
CHN, Brazil = aluminum
S. AFR = gold, platinum
Chile = copper
o Unequal opportunity (to have access to nanotech) for developing countries
Intellectual property owners vs. Raw material owners
Sources:
"US Report Warns on China

Rationale #3
Excessive patenting
o Currently 86,000 patents for nanotech
o Nanotechnologies overlapping and competing patents = legal expertise = $$$$
for lawyers, licensing fees (Nanotech Patent Jungle Set to)
o Cant pay for legal ownership = cant have legal ownership

Ongoco 3

Works Cited
"Doctors Blast Ethics of $100,000 Cancer Drugs." CNNMoney. Cable News Network. Web. 23
Oct. 2015. <http://money.cnn.com/2013/04/25/news/economy/cancer-drugcost/index.html>.
"Nanotech Patent Jungle Set to Become Denser in 2013." RSC RSS. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2013/01/nanotechnology-patent-thicket-junglegraphene-nanotubes>.
"Nanotechnology - Health Effects and Workplace Assessments and Controls." Nanotechnology Health Effects and Workplace Assessments and Controls. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.
<https://www.osha.gov/dsg/nanotechnology/nanotech_healtheffects.html>.
Pollack, Andrew. "Drug Goes From $13.50 a Tablet to $750, Overnight." The New York Times.
The New York Times, 20 Sept. 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/21/business/a-huge-overnight-increase-in-a-drugsprice-raises-protests.html?_r=1>.
"U.S. Food and Drug Administration." Nanotechnology Fact Sheet. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.fda.gov/ScienceResearch/SpecialTopics/Nanotechnology/ucm402230.htm>.
"US Report Warns on China IP Theft - BBC News." BBC News. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-22634685>.
"What Is Nanotechnology?" What Is Nanotechnology? Web. 23 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.nano.gov/nanotech-101/what/definition>.
"What Is Nanotechnology?" What Is Nanotechnology? Web. 23 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.crnano.org/whatis.htm>.