On August 31, 2020, the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) published a Nanopinion entitled “Nanosilver in healthcare — does the silver bullet exist?” by Dr. Dorota Napierska, Chemicals Policy and Projects Officer, Health Care Without Harm Europe (HCWH Europe). Napierska examines how beneficial the properties of nanosilver are in clinical settings and the risks involved. Napierska notes that a key point in assessing the toxicity of nanosilver is to adopt toxicological standardized assessment methods that are suitable for nanomaterials. According to Napierska, “there are still significant uncertainties regarding required environmental risk assessment for nanomaterials.” Napierska states that “[t]the nanotechnologies used in healthcare products need to be evaluated not only for their initial antiviral activity but also for their durability under conditions of use and how well they stand up to repeated cleaning and disinfection (i.e. assessed for leaching potential).” Napierska urges that the application and commercialization of silver-related products and technologies be “critically reassessed for both safety and necessity.”
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