ROCHE INSTITUTE OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 
Nutlev, New' Jersey 07110 
December 14, 1979 
Dr. Donald S. Fredrickson, Director 
National Institutes of Health 
Building 1, Room 124 
Bethesda, Maryland 20205 
Dear Dr. Fredrickson: 
I am writing to express my support for the new guidelines for recombinant DNA 
research as published in the Federal Register dated November 30, 1979. I believe 
that these new and less stringent guidelines will make it possible for research 
in this area to move forward with adequate safeguards and without excessive 
inconvenience to the investigator. 
I might add that I feel that the manner in which these decisions have been reached, 
with full public and scientist participation, is a credit to you and your colleagues 
at the National Institutes of Health and to the working scientists, who so generously 
contributed their time and expertise. On the other hand, the unnecessarily long 
delays in implementing the new guidelines have adversely affected the morale of 
American scientists and hampered progress in this highly significant area of research 
and development. The social hazards created by the computer are far more dangerous 
than the supposed biological hazards of recombinant DNA research. The public 
interest would be best served by speedy approval of the new guidelines. 
Yours sincerely, 
0kM~ 
BLH:jhm B. L. Horecker 
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