The Nanomed Round Table is a “Coordination and support action” in the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) Nanosciences,. Nanotechnologies, Materials and New Production Technologies (NMP) theme currently under contract
negotiation with an agreed starting date of 1 January 2009.

Although very promising, nanomedicine may add new dimensions to many ethical, socialand economic issues. For the promises to be realised to achieve the maximum benefit of nanomedical innovations for everyone the way has to be paved for a safe, integrated and
responsible approach to nanomedicine. This will also be a necessary condition for the sustainable competitiveness of nanomedical research and development in Europe, and for its healthcare industry. It is therefore of primary importance to understand its possible impacts and consequences in advance and to provide for all stakeholders a well-organised forum to express their needs and requirements, in particular for patients and society.

The Nanomed Round Table's main purpose is to provide to European stakeholders a set of recommendations to support decision making regarding nanomedical innovations. These recommendations will be based on a thorough analysis of existing documents,
multi-stakeholder debate, and construction of scenarios on the possible consequences and impacts of nanomedicine. A further aim will be to raise awareness and understanding of the field and associated issues among policy makers and the wider public and to propose longer term structures to consider nanomedical issues in the future.

The Round Table will bring together stakeholders in five Working Groups under the Chairmanship of Professor Sir John Beringer, formerly Pro Vice-Chancellor,
University of Bristol and who led the independent review of the UK Government’s response to the 2004 Royal Society & Royal Academy of Engineering nanotechnology report. The Working Groups and their Convenors will be:

• Regulation: Mark Cantley (formerly Adviser, Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Directorate-General for Research, European Commission)
• Economic Impact : Dr Françoise Charbit Technological Research Division, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique (CEA), Grenoble, France
• Communication: Professor Dr Wolfgang Heckl, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität & Director, Deutsches Museum, München, Germany
• Patient Needs: Alastair Kent, Director, Genetic Interest Group, UK and Chairman, European Platform for Patients' Organisations, Science and Industry (EPPOSI)
• Ethics & Societal Impact: Professor Alfred Nordmann, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany & University of South Carolina, USA

The coordinator will be Professor Julian Kinderlerer, Delft University of Technology, The coordinator will be Professor Julian Kinderlerer, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands & University of Cape Town, South Africa and member of the Europea Commission's European Group on Ethics. Management will be by Dr Klaus-Michael Weltring, Nano2Life EC Network of Excellence & Managing Director, Bioanalytik Münster, Germany and Dr David Bennett, Nanobio-RAISE EC Science & Society Project, St Edmund’s College, University of Cambridge and Delft University of
Technology, The Netherlands & Director, Cambridge Biomedical Consultants Ltd. Richard Hayhurst, Hayhurst Media, will advise on and carry out public relations.