MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 
CENTER FOR CANCER RESEARCH 
T7 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE, CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 02139 
January 4» 1982 
Dr* William J. Gartland* Jr. 
Department of Health & Human Services 
Public Health Service 
National Institutes of Health 
Bethesda* Maryland 20205 
Dear Dr. Gartland. 
The HIH guidelines have served a useful role in reassuring the 
public that experiments using the new technology of recombinant DNA 
were proceeding with peer overview. Given the lack of appearance of 
any biohazard associated with these experiments over the past seven 
years and our current expectations of their benefits. I believe it is 
time to make the guidelines non’-mandatory . Maintaining the guidelines. 
I.B. Committees and the associated paperwork is expensive. In 
addition, the equipment locked up in unuseable rooms as P3 laboratories 
is enormous. I see no justification for this cost in times of limited 
support for science. 
The current NIH guidelines permit a vast range of experiments 
after obtaining approval. It is time to eliminate the costly 
bureaucracy and accept the December 4. 1981 revision proposed by the 
RAC committee. It was imfortuate that MIH assumed responsibility for 
the guidelines; it should relieve itself of this unnecessary burden now 
that it has a chance. 
Sincerely yours. 
Phillip A. Sbarp 
Professor 
PAS/ms 
[ 628 ] 
