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For problems involving genes that are not repeated many times, 
or those for which isolation of the corresponding messenger RNA is 
not feasible, recombinant DNA techniques offer the only approach to 
gene isolation. 
For these reasons the alternatives raised by these commentators 
are not specifically included in the text of the EIS. 
B. Events Leading to the Development of Guidelines 
Several commentators considered inadequate the public participation 
in the development of the NIH Guidelines, as noted in Section I above 
[12, 26, 30]. The NIH has been attempting, and will continue to attempt 
in the future, to achieve the greatest possible public participation and 
review with respect to the problems involved in research involving 
recombinant DNA molecules. Specific suggestions are welcome as 
to how the NIH might be able to engage more fully the attention and 
participation of the general public. 
Some of the comments suggested that the Draft EIS was not clear 
regarding the relation between experiments included in the 1974 
voluntary partial moratorium and the recommendations in the Asilomar 
report and the NIH Guidelines [26, 27]. The quotation from the letter 
of the NAS committee (July 7, 1974) calling for the partial moratorium 
is now more extensive, and the historical relations are more explicitly 
described in this Section. The experiments currently prohibited by 
the NIH Guidelines are now described in some detail (see EIS Section 
VI), and a comparison between these prohibitions and those of the 1974 
moratorium can be made. At no time has there been an official morato- 
rium on all recombinant DNA experiments. Certain experiments proceeded 
during the period 1974 through publication of the NIH Guidelines in June 
of 1976 (see EIS IV-B). 
Some commentators urged that the nature and scope of recombinant 
DNA research funded by the NIH and other Federal agencies be described 
[10, 20,26], The Draft EIS did not include specific information on the 
number or location of laboratories currently engaged in recombinant 
DNA work. Comments stated that such information was important for 
realistic assessment of the impact of the Guidelines. Such information 
is now provided in Appendix G of the EIS, and the text so states. 
In addition, material has been added to the text which highlights 
some important aspects of the Guidelines, including the functions of 
Institutional Biohazards Committees and Memoranda of Understanding 
and Agreement (MUA). 
