How Do We Know if a New Technology Is Safe?

This week, I moderated a spirited discussion with two members of the B&C team:  Sheryl Dolan, a senior regulatory consultant who specializes in agricultural and biocidal chemical product registration and defense, and Dr. Richard Engler, our Director of Chemistry and a 17-year-veteran of EPA.  Both Sheryl and Rich are expert in marshaling new product chemical technologies through the gauntlet of federal, state, and international chemical product approval. Throughout our discussion, Sheryl and Rich walk us through what it takes to bring a new technology to EPA (or any other regulatory authority) and to help the regulators understand the benefits and safety of the new technology, especially when dealing with older regulatory frameworks that are sometimes ill-suited to anticipate the challenges posed by cutting edge technologies.  We talk about the regulatory challenges that the developer of a new product is likely to face, and how our team recommends preparing for these often make or break challenges.  We also get into a bit of the history of TSCA and FIFRA, the impact that public opinion and transparency can have on the regulation process, and how regulatory systems are informed of and respond to technological change. There is a lot to unpack in this discussion for anyone with an interest in the regulatory process, whether you are planning on bringing an innovative product to market or enhancing a new aspect of an existing product.  It was great having Sheryl and Rich in the studio to walk me through some of this, and I am excited to share it with you.  So, here is my discussion with Sheryl Dolan and Dr. Rich Engler about new technologies and their regulatory processes… ALL MATERIALS IN THIS PODCAST ARE PROVIDED SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL  AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. THE MATERIALS ARE NOT INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE OR THE PROVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES. ALL LEGAL QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ANSWERED DIRECTLY BY A LICENSED ATTORNEY PRACTICING IN THE APPLICABLE AREA OF LAW.