Outline of the discussion
1. The approach of the Safety and Security Research Subcommittee and the treatment of the "precautionary principle.
When considering social systems related to safety and security, the Society uses the notation "Anshin" for security as opposed to "Safety" for safety. This is because the target of sustainability and the target of innovation are different. In particular, even if the concept is based on the "Precautionary Principle," in order to materialize a social system pertaining to "Danger/Warning/Caution" in-depth discussions from various perspectives are required.
2. Treatment of the "precautionary principle" from various perspectives.
If a chemical substance is found to be hazardous under the "precautionary principle" in safety assessment, it should be regulated step by step. It has been done to "ensure safety in a preemptive manner," as if taking the initiative. Looking at both usefulness and hazardousness, concrete efforts have been made, without merely discussing what will happen to humans if they are left unchecked in the future due to exposure, and whether it is possible to create scenarios to prevent such exposure.
Regarding the use of pesticides, they have become indispensable to secure a certain level of food supply. Therefore, the safety of consumers who eat agricultural products, the safety of the environment, and the safety of those who use pesticides must be ensured. Therefore, the number of tests required for registration of pesticides, including toxicity tests based on non-toxic amounts, is as many as 92.
In the case of pharmaceuticals, it is important to consider the "precautionary principle" regarding side effects at the same level as the main effects from the perspective of the drug user (consumer), although it is also important from the perspective of the drug manufacturer. We should spare no effort to examine/analyze "past drug-related accidents" and communicate their contents in a simple manner.
In the EU, the precautionary principle is clearly stated for nanomaterials, which are extremely small, hard, and persistent, and the EU has a "product regulation" for nanomaterials that contain the "product" on the market as one unit. In the U.S., the precautionary principle is not clearly stated, but the existing legal framework and legal system are amended to target specific substances of concern and implement "substance regulations. In Japan, although safety guidelines (directions) have been provided, there are no regulations based on the "size of substances" in nanotechnology.
3. Issues to be addressed by the "precautionary principle" in each field.
The most important issue is to manage risk by controlling the intake of chemical substances, as "too much of a good thing can go too far.
Balancing usefulness and hazardousness have taken a lot of time so far. A "method" should be developed to speed up the process as much as possible. Artificial intelligence could be used. To this end, it is important to construct a social system for collecting information based on the mutual needs of society members. It is also important to make correct information widely known appropriately through the media.
4. Expectations for the "precautionary principle" in the future.
It is undeniable that there are areas that are not known scientifically, i.e., "scientific uncertainty. Therefore, we expect the "precautionary principle" to be implemented in society from a bird's eye view, combining known risks and unknown possibilities. Speeding up the evolution of risk prediction would be a top priority.
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