Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee - 2/10-11/92 
"3. Beginning with the June 1992 meeting of the RAC, all new proposals for 
covered experiments should be forwarded directly to the RAC instead of to 
the HGTS. Proposals pending at the March 30-31 meeting should be 
continued to be considered at that meeting. ORDA should plan to schedule 
four meetings per year of the RAC (or as many as six, if necessary), and 
should encourage researchers to take advantage of the opportunity to develop 
proposals that are complete and able to be approved in a single meeting 
when possible. ORDA should also encourage Institutional Biosafety 
Committees (IBCs) to become more familiar with the Points to Consider and 
to play a greater role in the substantive review of human gene transfer 
experiments. 
"4. During the transition year, the HGTS should continue to operate as a 
subcommittee of the RAC. It should review our experience to date with 
human gene transfer and develop recommendations for changes in the Points 
to Consider or other recommendations in light of that experience. The 
subcommittee should also consider various types of human gene transfer 
experiments that may arise in the next several years and recommend ways 
RAC should anticipate them, paying special attention to experiments that 
might affect germ line cells. 
"5. In accordance with Dr. Wivel's letter of December 23, 1991, the NIH 
Guidelines should be amended to reduce from 30 days to 15 days the RAC's 
requirement for notice of meeting or a notice of proposed action, and 
references to review by the subcommittee should be removed or amended to 
refer instead to review by the RAC." 
Dr. R. Murray seconded the motion and suggested that references in the motion to "gene 
transfer" be amended to add "therapy." Mr. Mannix agreed to the friendly amendment. 
Ms. Buc opposed changing of the notice of meetings and proposed actions requirement 
from 30 to 15 days. A longer period of notification to the public concerning meetings is 
necessary. The RAC will be discussing more controversial issues, and the public's 
opportunities to comment have been reduced from two to one. 
Dr. Wivel suggested that since the NIH Director is not directly involved in taking the 
action, the word "Director" should be removed. The motion would read from "Be it 
resolved, that the Director should take the following steps. . ." to "Be it resolved, that the 
following steps. . ." The second point is that the appointments to the RAC are made by 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS); the appointments are not automatic, 
and this point should be stated clearly in the motion. Budget constraints on travel will 
[ 350 ] 
Recombinant DNA Research, Volume 15 
