21 
Public responsibility counts heavily in this genetic research area. 
The scientific community must have the public’s confidence that the 
goals of this profoundly important research accord respect to impor- 
tant ethical, legal, and social values of our society. A key element 
in achieving and maintaining this public trust is for the scientific 
community to’ ensure an openness and candor in its proceedings. 
Representatives of the international press were invited to the Asilomar 
conference, and the proceedings received extensive coverage. The 
meetings of the Director’s Advisory Committee and the Recombinant 
Advisory Committee have also reflected the intent of science to be 
an open community in considering the conduct of recombinant DNA 
experiments. Notification of all the meetings was published in the 
Federal Register and all the meetings were attended and reported by 
representatives of the press. At the Director's Advisory Committee 
meeting, there was ample opportunity for comment and an airing of 
the issues, not only by the committee members but by public witnesses 
as well. All major points of view were broadly represented. 
The guidelines were reviewed in light of the comments and sugges- 
tions made by participants at that meeting, as well as the written 
comments received afterward. As part of that review the Recombinant 
Advisory Committee was asked to consider at its meeting of April 1-2, 
1976, a number of selected issues raised by the commentators. Those 
issues and the response of the Recombinant Advisory Committee were 
taken into account in arriving at the final decision on the Guidelines. 
The history of the events and discussions leading to the develop- 
ment of the Guidelines are described in greater detail in the "Decision 
of the Director, NIH, " published as a preamble to the Guidelines in 
the Federal Register, Part II, July 7, 1976 (see Appendix D). 
" NIH Guidelines for Recombinant DNA Research . " The publication 
of the NIH Guidelines catalyzed actions designed to bring all use of 
recombinant DNA techniques under a uniform set of standards. All 
NIH-supported research was required to follow the Guidelines. Shortly 
thereafter, the National Science Foundation required this of all its 
grantees. By 1977 all federally funded research was covered by them. 
The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, which encompasses 
the largest body of biomedical scientists having an interest in using 
recombinant techniques in the absence of Federal support, stated 
in September 1976 that all of its members would also adhere to the 
NIH Guidelines (27). As described later, the NIH Guidelines were 
immediately the object of attention by the worldwide scientific commu- 
nity and formed a basis for the development of similar guidelines in 
other countries. The NIH Guidelines, first of the national guidelines 
to be promulgated, were followed by issuance of U.K. guidelines in 
August 1976 and Canadian guidelines in February 1977. All of these 
are in general accord with the Asilomar agreement. 
