(3) providing information and assistance — both legal and 
technical — to individuals and organizations interested in 
making governmental agencies more responsive to health and 
environmental values. NRDC has 24,000 members in the United 
States. These members and their families will be exposed to 
the hazards of recombinant DNA activities. 
The NIH Guidelines grew out of the concern of 
scientists engaged in recombinant DNA research that their 
research might, if not properly controlled, cause irreversible 
harm to human health and the environment. In July of 1974, 
a committee of the National Academy of Scientists, chaired by 
Paul Berg of Stanford University called for a voluntary 
moratorium on all recombinant activities. The committee also 
proposed an international meeting of scientists to develop 
guidelines for the safe conduct of such research. That meeting, 
known as the Asilomar Conference, was sponsored by the 
National Academy of Sciences with the support of NIH and was 
held in February of 1975. Immediately after the Asilomar 
Conference the NIH Advisory Committee on Recombinant DNA, which 
had been formed in October of 1974, met to develop guidelines 
based on the recommendations of the Asilomar Conference. After 
meeting three more times, this advisory committee submitted 
proposed Guidelines to the Director of NIH in December of 1975. 
In February of 1976, the Director called a special meeting of 
the Advisory Committee to the Director to review the proposed 
Guidelines. The public was allowed to comment and participate 
2 
Appendix K — 128 
