6 
Convention is extremely broad; it prohibits not only developing, producing, 
and stockpiling, but uses the formulation "or otherwise acquire or retain." 
In his interpretation of that formulation, any activity for biological 
weapons purposes, including research, would be prohibited. 
Mr. Thomton then recognized Dr. William Beisel of the Department of 
Defense, Department of the Army. Dr. Beisel said DCX) currently is not 
involved in research on biologiced weapons. When the Lhited States signed 
the Biologiced Weapons Convention, the entire research structure for the 
creation of such weapons was disnantled. Any weapons in storage at the 
Pine Bluff Arsenal in Arkansas were destroyed. The nanufacturing plant 
at the Arsenal in Pine Bluff was turned over to the FDA to becone the 
National Center for Ibxicological Research. The large laboratory at 
Port Detrick, in Frederick, Maryland, was turned over to the National 
Cancer Institute to become the Frederick Cancer Research Facility. 
Dr. Beisel said the Uhited States Army Medical Research Institute of Infec- 
tious Diseases (LBAMRIID) at Fort Detrick is currently engaged in medical 
defensive research. The program is entirely inclassified and any individual 
can come and visit. The program focuses on diseases that could threaten 
U.S. troops or, secondarily, the U.S. population. He said the Centers for 
[>isease Control (CDC) is crffici^dly responsible for defending the civilian 
population from a biological warfare attack. UBAMRIID collaborates very 
closely with the CDC in that endeavor. Dr. Beisel said the LBAMRIID program 
is attempting to develop vaccines or other prophylactic measures, and to 
develop methods for better, earlier, diagnosis. All of the research is of 
a public headth nature. Dr. Beisel said vaccines developed by the IBWIRIID 
program have on occasion been transmitted around the world and given to 
other governments. 
Dr. McKinney noted that there are no prohibited experiments in the current 
Guidelines and said he opposed both the Goldstein-Novick proposal and 
Dr. Baltimore's motion. 
Dr. Baltimore said that perhaps a resolution of the RAC would be ade- 
quate. He said that it could be misread as a lack of concern for the 
RAC to do nothing. 
Dr. Nightingale thought it was necessary for RAC to issue some statement 
concerning biological weapons and recombinant DMA technology. Vhat the 
statement is and how to make it needs to be discussed. One purpose of 
the Guidelines is to permit public participation in the formulation of 
policy. In this case, the policy exists so a statement fron RAC would be 
an affirmation or endorsement of existing public policy. Such a statement 
within the cxjntent of the Guidelines would be appropriate. She said that 
a second ftncrticxi of the Guicielines is to protect the public; and, thus, 
insertion of a statement on biological weapons in the Guidelines is 
appropriate. She preferred that language be introduced into the Guicielines; 
language in the Guidelines would constitute a permanent record rather than 
a cx>e time resoluticxi. If such language were to be included in the Guide- 
lines, she did not think the Guidelines would necessarily becone hostage 
[ 465 ] 
