W:M- 
New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences 
a Statutory College of the State University 
Cornell University 
Department of Plant Pathology 
334 Plant Science Building, Ithaca, N. Y. 14853 
December 12, 1979 
Dr. Donald S. Fredrickson 
Director, National Institutes of Health 
Bethesda, MD 20014 
Dear Dr. Fredrickson: 
I'm writing in support of approval of the "£. col i K-12/P1 
Recommendation" . As you know, I have been a member of the RAC for 
about two years and have been an observer of the recombinant DNA 
scene since 1976 as a member of your Advisory Committee. 
In my voting on the RAC, my primary concern has always been 
one of safety. Accordingly, I was one of the 10 who voted for the 
K- 1 2 exemption as I felt that such a reduction in containment for 
K- 1 2 experiments presented no threat to humans, animals or plants. 
I have seen no evidence to the contrary since that vote which would 
cause me to change my mind. In my view the alleged hazards have no 
basis in fact. Judging from the sorts of advances which are coming 
to light with recombinant DNA technology, we should do all we can 
to support the research, not stifle it! 
Yours sincerely 
Professor 
MZ: kb 
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