Page 11 of Attachment F 
220 Recombinant DNA and Genetic Experimentation 
DISCUSSION 
S.D. EHRLICH: I wonder whether there is a figure available on the cost of the risk 
assessment experiments up until now? 
A.M. SKALKA: The cost of the risk assessment experiments? 
S.D. EHRLICH: I'd like to have a global estimate on the amount spent on risk 
assessment experiments since the recombinant DNA question was raised. 
A.M. SKALKA: I don't have that figure. What information do you hope that would 
provide? 
W.J. GARTLAND: I wanted to mention that when the NIH Guidelines were issued on 
December 22nd, there was a directive to NIH to conduct a risk assessment programme. 
The directive says that further actions under the Guidelines must be based on data 
gathered from a risk assessment programme. NIH has had an internal working group 
which has proposed a risk assessment plan which is about to be published in the 
Federal Register. The proposal lists some types of things that could be done. 
One of the central features of the proposal is the recruitment of an eminent 
scientist who would come to the NIH and who, in addition to directing the programme, 
would do a lot of data-gathering to try to pull together a lot of information 
which is already in the literature and perhaps prod people to do some simple risk 
assessment studies. The proposed plan will be published for comment very shortly. 
D. HABER: This is something I'd like to ask someone from the NIH about because it's 
just a rumour I've heard, so it may or may not have any foundation. I have heard 
that there was a meeting of an NIH subcommittee on vectors on March 19th at which 
some evidence was provided - and this evidence is supposed to have been put forward 
by NIH Private contractors - that EK2 microorganisms survive in sewage. 
I wonder if someone from the NIH could elaborate on that - confirm, deny, or 
explain it. 
ANNA MARIE SKALKA: Yes, the contractors were Drs. Sapik, Walter and Sorber. 
The report is available for you to look at and it is included as an appendix 
in my report. 
D. HABER: I would like to direct myself again to the NIH and to the risk assess- 
ment activities of COGENE, in particular of EK2 strains K-12. I wondered what 
note is being taken, or advice being given, or if, in fact, there has been any 
consideration of evidence that the properties of the EK2 organisms seem to change 
when grown in large quantities - or could possibly change? Some evidence has been 
published to that effect and I wonder whether that's been considered. 
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