4 
he envisaged NI06H prcx^eeding in the following manner: (1) field studies of 
recombinant organisms and products will be performed by industrial hygiene 
experts; (2) ccxitrol technology assesannents will be made. 
Dr. West said NIOSH is several years away from offering specific guidance to 
the industrial community. NIOSH will, however, continue to track developments 
to identify emerging problems. He said that NIOSH would be deprived of a 
resource in this effort should the NIH vacate their Guidelines. 
Dr. Mason noted that industry complies with the NIH Guidelines voluntarily. 
He questioned v^ether the information base might, therefore, be biased and 
v^ether such a bias concerns NIOSH. Dr. West replied that he could not 
determine v^ether the information base would be biased in a voluntary submit- 
tal program. He hoped that NIOSH and industry would coc^rate in the area 
of recombinant DNA technology; NIOSH might offer helpful suggestions to firms 
v^en these firms are setting up and tuning up their installations. 
Dr. McKinney asked Dr. West if NIOSH 's interests would change should the NIH 
Guidelines became a "code of standard practice." Dr. West said they would 
not. Dr. McKinney asked v^y NIOSH was not at the moment actively evaluating 
the fermentation industry. Dr. West replied that at the time NIOSH was insti- 
tuted, several critical issues and obvious health concerns required NIOSH' s 
attention. Before the advent of recombinant DNA technology, long established 
firms dominated the fermentation field. Most of these conpanies had acknowledged 
the existence of occupational health problems and had developed an expertise 
in the area. With the emergence of recombinant DNA technology, many new 
conpanies will enter the field. Ihese companies will not have had the oppor- 
tunity to develop expertise in the area of occupational health in fermentation 
techology, and this might be an issue of concern to NIOSH. 
[ 184 ] 
