PRODUCT SAFETY

Product Development Support & Hazard Assessment

Whether it involves the formulation of a particular product or the actual synthesis of the components of that product, Consultox can provide the toxicology support needed to develop a pharmaceutical with minimal side effects or a consumer product that can be used safely without risk of injury. Involvement in the early stages of product development can minimize exposure to unnecessary liability and expenditures.

When working with buckyballs, nanotubes, or other products that have dimensions in the nanometer range, the challenges to develop the products while protecting your workers and your customers are very significant since no safety guidelines currently exist; yet the potential for the development of new products is vast. Nanotechnology is an emerging field with an extremely promising potential for developing new drugs, new drug delivery systems, cosmetics with unique characteristics, and consumer products with unique properties and applications. Nanoparticles can be produced in different shapes and characteristics depending on their eventual applications. Their surfaces can be modified chemically or biologically, thereby altering their biological pathways, target tissues, and reactivity through receptor technology. Some nanoparticles such as nanotubules can be filled with therapeutic doses of drugs or chemicals and, by virtue of their size, can traverse membrane barriers. The ability to alter surface reactivity in nanoparticles resulting in the control of transport pathways within the body, coupled with the ability to control drug content, presents the possibility of delivering active drugs to target organs or tumors without affecting other tissues. The ability of nanoparticles to travel along the axons of nerve cells has been demonstrated already by the olfactory transport of manganese in welding fumes directly to the brain. With a background in chemistry and a firm grasp of the field of toxicology, Dr. Parent can be of assistance in the development of your product while maintaining a watchful eye on safety issues and emerging regulations.