"We have very little information about the types of nanotubes used in products," said , chief science advisor to the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, in a videotaped interview posted on the organization's Web site. "Nanotubes come in many, many different types, different shapes, different sizes and different chemical behaviors. We don't know if the products on the market contain harmful nanotubes or safe nanotubes, or even if the nanotubes can come out of these products."

As of this spring, the U.S. government was shelling out US$1.5 billion a year to study nanotechnology, according to a staffer with the Committee on Science and Technology. Only 4% of that money, however, is earmarked for health and safety research.

The National Research Council noted in its report, which was released Wednesday, that the country's current research plan, which was developed by the National Nanotechnology Initiative, does not offer a clear picture of what scientists know today about nanotechnology risks. It also doesn't point to where our scientific understanding should be in another 10 years. The council's report also said the government plan should include research goals toward making sure that nanotechnologies are safe and are used as safely as possible.

"Growing use of nanomaterials means that more workers and consumers will be exposed to them, and uncertainties remain about their health and environmental effects; while nanomaterials can yield special benefits, they may also have unexpected and possibly toxic properties," the council noted in its report. "A new national strategic plan is needed that goes beyond federal research to incorporate research from academia, industry, consumer and environmental groups, and other stakeholders, the committee concluded."