SEPTEMBER 6-7 - MINUTES OF MEETING 
17 
current situation. Dr. Novick noted that NSF requires registration of 
exempt experiments. He said this is not a question of hazard, but a 
question of oversight of research. Dr. Walters felt that an economy of 
effort was necessary in the functioning of the local IBCs. If these 
experiments pose little risk there should be no need for IBC oversight. 
Mr. Thornton agreed with Dr. Walters and said that the question of registration 
of "exempt" experiments now covered under the Guidelines arose in conjunction 
with declassification of a specific class of experiments. He questioned 
whether any of the currently exempt experiments should be registered. 
Dr. Novick responded that those covered by Section I-E-3 should be registered. 
Dr. Setlow proposed to form a working group. Dr. Walters noted that 
experiments covered by Section I-E-3 may be the only currently exempt 
experiments which should be considered for registration. Dr. Herman Lewis 
of NSF stated that NSF maintains a log of exempt experiments supplied in 
quarterly report from IBC chairmen. He felt that the institution and the 
funding agency should have a record of exempt experiments. A straw vote 
was taken to ascertain whether the RAC wants to consider registration of 
any kind for currently exempt experiments. Following a vote of 7 for, 6 
against, with 3 abstentions. Dr. Setlow appointed a working group composed 
of Dr. Goldstein and Mr. Thornton to prepare a proposal to appear in 
the Federal Register prior to the next RAC meeting and to be considered 
again at that meeting. 
IX. PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF SECTION III-C-6 
Ihe RAC considered an amendment of Section III-C-6 and other similar 
sections of the Guidelines proposed by Dr. David Hogness of Stanford 
University (742) to remove the requirement for use of certified EK2 
plasmid vectors in certain experiments involving "return of DNA to host 
of origin." Ihe RAC, by a vote of 14 in favor and none opposed, recommended 
that the language suggested by Dr. Hogness for these sections be published 
in the Federal Register for public comment prior to the next meeting, 
and be reconsidered at the December meeting. 
X. PROPOSED SUPPLEMENT TO THE GUIDELINES 
A proposed supplement to the NIH Guidelines (717) had been published in the 
Federal Register on August 3. It contains a proposed Part VI of the Guidelines 
on "Voluntary Compliance." Five letters had been received during the 30-day 
comment period (730, 731, 737, 738, 745). At the September RAC meeting, 
Dr. John Alams of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association read a 
statement to the effect that the PMA member fii^ms engaged in recombinant 
DNA work, fully endorse the preposed supplement and will fully comply 
with the Guidelines. Dr. Adams said that some "clarification is needed." 
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