Dr. Donald Fredrickson 
October 4, 1979 
page 2 
skeptical. In the 1920's, we were assured of the safety and 
benign effects of radiation treatments for minor skin disorders 
and today, thousands of cancers are the result. Earlier, we 
were assured of the complete safety of heroin as a "non-addictive 
substitute for morphine." In the 1950's, we were assured of the 
safety of disposal procedures for chemical and radioactive wastes, 
and the Love Canal is one result. As recently as 1976, we were 
assured of the safety of the swine flu vaccine. 
After two years, no person or group can give meaningful as- 
surances of the long-term safety of a program that may not reveal 
its hidden dangers for 20 years. When the procedure leading to 
those assurances is flawed by an obviously biased method of ar- 
riving at a recommendation, all Americans have a right and duty to 
For millenia, physicians have had as their first principle 
"Above all do no harm." When the lives of millions may be at 
stake, it is the responsibility of scientists to adopt and adhere 
to the same principle. I submit that it is your duty as the 
servant of the people to insist on that principle and to reject 
the recommendations of the Recombinatn DNA Advisory Committee. 
SG/gr 
cc: Robert Nicholas 
Gen. Counsel , HEW 
Francine Simring 
Dr. Richard Goldstein 
protest 
Yours truly 
Solomon Garb, M.D 
[ 342 ] 
