33 
By a vote of seventeen in favor, none opposed, and no abstentions, the RAC 
accepted the motion to table the proposal. 
X. ORDA PROPOSAL REGARDING RECEIPT OF APPLICATION SUMMARIES 
Dr. Gartland said this proposal (tab 1212) developed from the December 31, 
1984, Federal Register proposal for a coordinated framework for regulation 
of biotechnology. The Federal Register states: 
"Each agency will promptly send to its advisory ccmnittee a summary 
of each application relating to recombinant RNA, recombinant DMA, 
or cell fusion submitted to it for funding or administrative review, 
regardless of whether the agency is requesting a scientific review. 
The advisory committee may -decline to receive summaries...." 
Dr. Gartland said the number of sumraries RAC would receive under this 
Federal Register language would be massive; thousands of such grant appli- 
cations are submitted to NTH each year. He said RAC has never requested 
to see all of the grant applications submitted to the NIH. He proposed 
that the RAC decline to receive such grant application summaries since 
provision of such summaries to RAC would involve a tremendous workload 
with little or no benefit. 
Dr. Walters moved that RAC accept the proposal . The motion was seconded 
by Dr. Gottesman. 
By a vote of fifteen in favor, none opposed, and no abstentions, RAC accepted 
the motion. 
XI. FUTURE MEETING DATES 
Dr. Gartland said the next meeting of the RAC is scheduled for September 23, 
1985. Mr. Mitchell said seme working group meetings might also be held in 
the interim between the May 3 and September 23, 1985, RAC meetings. 
XII. AN1-XXINCEMENT ON A SYMPOSIUM ON ENGINEERED ORGANISMS IN THE ENVIRONMENT 
Dr. Sharpies said ASM is organizing a cross -disciplinary symposium entitled 
"Engineered Organisms in the Environment: Scientific Issues." This meeting 
will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 10-13, 1985. 
Dr. Sharpies said the meeting is to identify the scientific issues and 
sort out the less important issues from the critical issues in this area. 
She urged interested individuals, including RAC members, to attend this 
meeting. 
[153] 
