Colloque « Nano, vous avez dit nano ? »

8 March 2016, 9am-5.15pm, Amphithéâtre E3/3 (Campus moulins, 1 Place Déliot, Lille). Conference under the scientific direction of Bérengère LEGROS, HDR lecturer at the University of Lille.

Presentation

Nanotechnologies are emerging technologies that have led to the creation of nano-objects in the context of international competition. Some of these are for medical use, providing diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring tools for the human body. These objects must be traceable. But this is not the case for nano-objects that are not for medical use and to which the workers who manufacture and/or use them, as well as the consumers who buy products in which they are incorporated, are exposed. However, when it comes to these nano-objects, current knowledge of the possible risks and dangers to health and the environment is inadequate. Health risks are difficult to assess because there is no standardised method for making such an assessment, as each nano-object has a different and unique formulation or matrix.

These ubiquitous technological advances are a source of fascination and hope, but also of concern. But how does the law react to this daily, partly invisible invasion? What about the regulation chosen in the light of all the branches of domestic law that are being or are likely to be called upon: environmental law, the genesis of nanotechnology law, bioethics law, medical law, social law, pharmaceutical law, industrial property law, because of the economic stakes involved, but also liability law? What about the role of European standards and how they relate to national standards?

The spread of nano-objects also raises questions of a social and ethical nature, particularly concerning the appropriateness and purpose of some of their applications and the risk of possible aberrations. This could be the case with therapies for repairing motor functions, which could amplify the performance of healthy subjects and create the risk of the emergence of a new humanity, a society tending towards transhumanism. This could also be the case for new forms of body surveillance, which would make possible an "intelligent environment" thanks to technologies that enable the collection and analysis of data on the health of individuals.

Are the current legal regulations satisfactory, or shouldn't precautionary principles and measures be applied more widely? What are we to think, too, of the Council of Europe's renewal of standards in the face of technological convergence, in particular the "NBIC convergence" - i.e. the interactions between nanotechnologies, biology, information technologies and cognitive sciences - to ensure the safety of citizens, businesses and the environment?

The aim of this conference will be to encourage reflection on the possible prospects for changes in standards, both in domestic law and in European law, by including a non-legal (medical and ethical) perspective.

PROGRAMME

8h45 | Accueil des participants

 

9h00 | Opening speeches

  • Professor Bernard Bossu, Dean of the Faculty of Legal, Political and Social Sciences at the University of Lille
  • Professor Valéry HEDOUIN, Representative of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Lille, Director of the Institute of Forensic and Social Medicine at the Lille Regional University Hospital (CHRU)

9h20 | Introductory remarks

Bérengère LEGROS, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Legal, Political and Social Sciences, University of Lille (CRD&P- L'ERDS)

Morning session chaired by Professor Régis BEUSCART,
Director of the Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche en Informatique Médicale at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lille

I - Medical and pharmaceutical aspects

  • 9.30am | Catherine NISSE, The impact of nano-objects on healthMCU-PH, University Department of Occupational Medicine and Health, University of Lille
  • 10h00 | Anne Catherine PERROY, Nanotechnologies and health products: the legal situation, issues and prospectsProfessor at the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Lille, Member of the Paris Bar (Simmons & Simmons)(CRD&P-Équipe Demogue)
  • Questions and debate with the audience

II - Health and environmental aspects

  • 10h40 | Éric NAIM-GESBERT, The legal approach to nanotechnology riskProfessor at the University of Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Scientific Director of the Revue Juridique de l'environnement

 

11.10 a.m. | Break

 

  • 11h25 | Patrick MEUNIER, Nanotechnologies and health protection - State of play and prospects for the development of European Union standardsProfessor at the Faculty of Legal, Political and Social Sciences at the University of Lille (CRD&P- L'ERDP)
  • 11:55 | Bérengère LEGROS, Nanotechnologies and the protection of workers' healthShe is a senior lecturer at the University of Lille's Faculty of Legal, Political and Social Sciences (CRD&PL'ERDS), and editor-in-chief of the Revue générale de droit médical.
  • 12.15pm | Questions and discussion with the audience

 

12.30 pm | Lunch break

 

Afternoon, chaired by Sonia DESMOULIN,
CNRS Research Fellow, Law and Social Change Laboratory, CNRS/University of Nantes

III - Social and property aspects

  • 13:30 | Thibault GISCLARD, Nanotechnologies and patentabilityLecturer at the Faculty of Legal, Political and Social Sciences at the University of Lille (CRD&P- L'ERADP)
  • 2pm Nicolas DESRUMAUX, Nanotechnologies and civil libertiesPhD in Public Law, Research Engineer at the Faculty of Legal, Political and Social Sciences at the University of Lille (CRD&P - Demogue team)
  • 2.30pm | Laurene MAZEAU and Claire JOACHIM, Liability law put to the test by nanotechnologyrespectively, Senior Lecturer at the University of Brest and Doctor of Public Law and lecturer at the Universities of Toulouse 1 and Laval.
  • Questions and debates with the audience

 

15h15 | Pause

 

IV – Aspects éthiques et bioéthiques

  • 15h30 | Sonia DESMOULIN, Technologies émergentes et convergentes ? CNRS Research Fellow, Law and Social Change Laboratory, CNRS/University of Nantes
  • 16h | Pierre LOUCHART, Regard éthique sur l’entrée des nanotechnologies dans l’environnement médical, social et biomédical, Neurologue, Membre de l’Espace de éflexion éthique régional du Nord-Pas-de-Calais
  • 16h30 | Questions et débats avec la salle
  • 16h45 | Synthèse des travaux par Stéphanie LACOUR, Directrice de recherche CNRS, Institut de Sciences Sociales du Politique -ISP – UMR 7220 CNRS – ENS Cachan – Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense

 

17h15 | Clôture du colloque