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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE 
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE 
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 
BETHESDA. MARYLAND 20014 
August 22, 1979 
Dr. William Gartland 
Office of Recombinant DNA Activities 
Building 31, Room 4A52 
National Institutes of Health 
Bethesda, Maryland 20205 
Dear Dr. Gartland: 
I should like to support a proposed change in the Guidelines for 
Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules. 
The change is outlined in the July 31, 1979 issue of the Federal 
Register (44, FR, 45088). In essence, it recommends that all 
recombinant DNA molecules that are propagated in JE. coli K-12 hosts 
that do not contain conjugation proficient plasmids or generalized 
transducing phages be used at PI containment and not be subject to 
the NIH Guidelines. This suggestion follows the very sound principle 
that the components of a recombinant system should be handled under 
the limitations required for their separate components. 
The major effect of this alteration in the Guidelines (that would 
represent no compromise in safety) is that it would eliminate the 
basically onerous and wasteful process that turns every recombinant 
DNA experiment into an unnecessary bureaucratic steeplechase. Over 
the years that I have been involved in this work, this has proven to 
be not only a minor annoyance, but a major and useless barrier. 
[308J 
