Reply

10.1038/nrc1566 10.1038/nrc1566-c1

The comments offered are very insightful and much appreciated, as they allow for broader perspectives to be considered. All of us in medical research, I believe, are striving to develop ways to provide health benefits to the community. In the domain of therapeutics, optimizing efficacy while reducing or eliminating undesired side effects is a paramount consideration. As we search for methodologies to attain this complex and elusive objective, we come to explore novel dimensions, of which nanotechnology is one. I concur wholeheartedly with the writers, in supporting the notion that the development of new science on the front of therapeutic methodologies must be accompanied by equally vigorous endeavors in the determination of risks and adverse consequence potentials.

I actually support, with enthusiasm, the expansion of efforts in this field, so that yet-unresolved issues of extreme importance can be addressed in greater and greater depth, with respect to nanotechnology and beyond. These issues include the following: what is the relevance of specific animal models in toxicology to human response? What are the best animal models to use, in order to accurately screen for adverse-event potential in humans? Can truly predictive frameworks of toxicology be developed that will appropriately safeguard the patient population, while at the same time help bring to clinical fruition much-needed new products that can help alleviate death and suffering due to cancer? In the absence of rigorous answers to these questions, the community will not be able to benefit from scientific advances in drug development in a prompt and complete manner. Developing new remedies and developing adequate and efficient testing strategies are equally important pieces of the solution. The backdrop against which we must position ourselves is that every minute one person dies of cancer in the USA, four in Europe, fifteen in the World.

I am thankful to Nemmar and colleagues for the leading work they are performing in addressing these crucial issues. It is absolutely essential that therapeutic developers and toxicology experts develop more and more potent collaborative alliances, especially in novel fields such as nanotechnology.