29 Forester Drive 
Princeton, New Jersey 08540 
9 March 1979 
Dr. Donald S. Frederlckson 
Di rector 
National Institutes of Health 
Bethesda, Maryland 
Dear Dr. F reder I ckson : 
I have just finished studylne the "Guidelines for Research 
Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules", approved 15 December 1978. 
Although these Guidelines appear, generally, to offer us 
protection against possible real (and Imagined) dangers of rec- 
ombinant DNA work. In at least one specific and Important area, 
they appear to offer a lesser degree of protection than they 
could otherwise possess. Specifically, Section IV-D-2 (Member- 
ship and Procedure of the I P C - pages 60124-60125) gives to the 
Institution the power to appoint to the I PC Individuals not 
affiliated with the Institution. If such public members are to 
serve, they should be appointed by the elected body governing the 
community. If the I BC Is to have any credibility In the 
commun I ty--and not give even the appearance of being self- 
serving--! ts public members need the Independence from the In- 
stitution that appointment by a public body can confer. The 
recent report In SCIENCE of 2 March 1979 (703: 855-856, 1979) 
about smallpox adds some urgency to my suggestion. 
1 urge you, therefore, to alter the Guidelines by adding the 
following penultimate sentence to IV-D-2-a: "Such nonaf f 1 1 I a ted 
members shall be appointed by the governing body of the community 
In which the Institution is situated." 
I hope that this suggestion meets with your approval and 
that it will be Incorporated In the Guidelines as expeditiously 
as possible. 
Very truly yours. 
David Lester 
DL : h 
[501] 
