Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee - 06/7-8/93 
and other interested parties. Ms. Wilson proposed an amendment to the NIH Guidelines 
that would replace the requirement for publication of the Bulletin with a statement that 
ORDA will serve as a focal point for data management of NIH-approved human gene 
transfer protocols. The NIH Guidelines Section IV-C-3-c currently reads: 
"IV-C-3. The Office of Recombinant DNA Activities. ....ORDA shall be 
responsible for the following... 
TV-C-3-c. Publishing the Recombinant DNA Technical Bulletin..." 
Section IV-C-3-c will be amended to read: 
'TV-C-3. The Office of Recombinant DNA Activities. ...ORDA shall be responsible 
for the following... 
'TV-C-3-c. Serve as the focal point for data management of NIH-approved human 
gene transfer protocols as required in the Reporting Requirements section of the 
"Points to Consider." 
Committee Motion 
A motion was made by Dr. Post and seconded by Dr. Secundy to accept the proposed 
amendment. The motion passed by a vote of 16 in favor, 0 opposed and 2 abstentions. 
XVI. ADDITION TO APPENDIX D OF THE NIH GUIDELINES REGARDING 
RICKETTSIA PROWAZEKI ~ TRANSFER OF A CHLORAMPHENICOL RESISTANCE 
MARKER TO AN AVIRULENT STRAIN/DR. POLICASTRO 
Review-Dr. Krogstad 
Dr. Walters called on Dr. Krogstad to present his primary review of a request submitted 
by Dr. Paul Policastro of the NIH, Hamilton, Montana, to introduce a chloramphenicol- 
resistant marker into an attenuated strain of R prowazeki (Madrid E). Dr. Krogstad 
stated that R prowazeki is a human pathogen that causes epidemic typhus. Since 
chloramphenicol and tetracycline are the antibiotics used in treating human infections, 
transfer of the chloramphenicol resistant gene in this organism is a cause for concern. 
The PI has provided little information on the genetics of the avirulent strain of Rickettsia 
to be used in this study or the rationale for choosing chloramphenicol as opposed to 
other less critically useful antibiotics. Dr. Krogstad recommended that the RAC defer 
approval of this request. 
Recombinant DNA Research, Volume 17 
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