FEBRUARY 15-16 - MINUTES OF MEETING 
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The motion passed by a vote of 20 to 1 with 1 abstention. The sense of 
the motion is for approval of the whole class of Ff phages. 
Dr. Campbell indicated that he would propose a major action at the next 
meeting to permit use of Ff phages with F+ host cells. 
XVI. HEALTH SURVEILLANCE . 
Dr. Campbell introduced the topic of medical surveillance by citing 
section IV-D-l-h of the Guidelines which requires a determination, in 
connection with each project, for health surveillance of recombinant 
DNA research personnel, and the conduct, if found appropriate, of a 
health surveillance program for the project. He stated that the 
requirement carries the impression that it has been carefully con- 
sidered and that IBCs should be undertaking activities for health 
surveillance. He stated that there are two conceiveable purposes for 
such a requirement. The first would be for the collection of medical 
statistics; the second would be for the protection of individual health. 
Dr. Campbell stated that if the latter purpose is the intent, then NIH 
should so inform the IBCs. The difficulty of determining what to measure 
in the case of E. coli host-vector systems was mentioned. Dr. Parkinson 
noted that this section of the Guidelines does not address major issues 
such as access to information and right to work issues. 
Dr. Campbell then moved that the RAC advise the Director, NIH to transmit 
a memorandum to institutions embodying the sense of the discussion, i.e., 
that the primary purpose for the requirement for health surveillance under 
the Guidelines is for protection of individual health, and not for the 
gathering of statistics. Dr. Campbell asked that the RAC review the 
memorandum at its next meeting. Ttie motion passed by a vote of 15 to 0 
with 3 abstentions. 
XVII. RISK ASSESSMENT . 
A. STATUS OF EK3 TESTING CONTRACTS. 
Dr. Nutter briefly summarized the status of contracts that have 
been awarded for the construction and testing of E. coli host- 
vector systems for possible elevation to the EK3 level of 
biological containment. Most of the construction contracts 
have expired. There will be a meeting in March to review data 
being generated by these and other contractors. As the revised 
Guidelines do not stipulate a requirement for EK3, the RAC 
passed a motion by a vote of 20 to 0 with 2 abstentions that 
future NIH supported contract work on development of EK3 systems 
should be suspended. 
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