agreed by health experts that it is very difficult to run 
meaningful medical surveillance without knowing what you are 
looking for. As the draft report on medical surveillance by 
CDC/NIOSH acknowledges, "comprehensive periodic medical examina- 
tions are generally of little value in the detection of occu- 
pational disease". Finally, we know that there are significant 
costs to these programs. Also important is the fact that we are 
forcing employees to undergo mandatory medical procedures, an 
intrusion on privacy which many find objectionable, in part 
because there is no obvious benefit. In summary we are presently 
not in favor of required medical surveillance directed specifically 
at rDNA work. 
6. Continuing RAC - Industry Dialogue . 
Finally, Mr. Chairman, I would like to stress from 
industry's point of view the high value that we place on the type 
of dialogue that your committee has formally initiated today, as 
well as our belief that direct benefits can be anticipated from 
its continuation and strengthening. 
In the next several years industrial applications of 
rDNA research procedures and products will certainly grow. With 
its established scientific expertise, credibility and record of 
demonstrated sensitivity to public interests, the RAC can and 
should reasonably contribute to identifying and exploring rDNA 
issues particularly relevant to commercial use. Such activity 
could complement the regulatory actions of various agencies (many 
of which presently have liaison representation on the RAC and 
Large Scale Review Working Group) and minimize the need for 
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