MINUTES OF MEETING - December 6-7 
16 
that the RAC request further clarification. Dr. Martin 
said no arguments had been advanced to explain the hypo- 
thetical dangers which might be present in this case. He 
said this virus requires a helper; if there is no helper 
present the recombinant virus will not leave the laboratory. 
Dr. Bems responded that there are defective viruses which 
survive in nature. 
Dr. Walters suggested that action on the proposal be deferred 
because the investigator has not explained the protocol 
clearly enough. Dr. Krimsky pointed out that the RAC had 
asked initiators of proposals to write a statement in a 
form that would be reasonably understood by people who are 
not experts in the field. 
Dr. Baltimore moved that the RAC accept the proposal at P2. 
The RAC disapproved Dr. Baltimore's motion by a vote of 
three in favor, eleven opposed, with four abstentions. 
Dr. Young then moved that this submission be disapproved 
with advice that the investigator submit a complete, detailed 
MUA and address the issues raised by the RAC. The motion 
was accepted by a vote of thirteen in favor, three opposed, 
with four abstentions. 
B. Proposal to employ Harvey Sarcoma Virus as a vector. 
Dr. Bems outlined a proposal (tab 793) from Dr. Malcolm 
Martin of the National Institutes of Health. He said that 
Dr. Martin proposes to enploy defective Harvey Sarcoma Virus 
(HSV) as a vector. Defined sequences derived either from 
reverse transcription of messenger RNAs or specific viral 
segments would be inserted. Dr. Martin proposes to use the 
ability of sarcoma virus to transform to show that the defec- 
tive genome has been picked up and is being expressed. 
Dr. Martin will co-infect with helper viruses in certain 
instances but not when the insert is a sequence from a second 
virus. Dr. Martin requests permission to perform this experi- 
ment at the P2 level. Dr. Baltimore said this request is 
analogous to a request which he had submitted several meetings 
previously. That proposal had been approved at the P2 level 
of containment. Dr. Goldstein asked what specific sequences 
would be inserted into the HSV vector. Dr. Martin responded 
that globin, some immunoglobin sequences and sequences from 
papovaviruses would be inserted. He said those experiments 
performed with papovavirus DNA will not employ helper virus. 
After Dr. Martin left the room, Dr. Baltimore moved approval 
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