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1 of significant biohazards through recombinant DNA research, 
2 the lowering of physical containment requirements in the 
3 proposed revised guidelines is entirely appropriate. In 
4 addition, the revised guidelines can expect to have con- 
5 siderable positive impact on recombinant DNA research in 
6 this country. This is an issue to which we can speak 
7 from our own research experience. 
g The current guidelines have imposed stringent 
9 physical requirements, P 3 or P 4 physical containment, for 
10 studies involving higher organisms, such studies as the 
11 one at our university. The requirement for these extreme 
12 levels of physical containment have made it difficult and, 
13 in many cases, impossible to use this important technique 
14 for studies of genetic material from higher organisms. 
15 P 3 facilities are costly to construct and to maintain, 
16 and at many institutions, including our own we have not 
17 had, during the past, resources to establish such facilities. 
1g In my own case, I have undertaken some recombinant 
19 DNA experiments at a P 3 facility located at another institu- 
2 Q tion a considerable distance from Virginia. As a result of 
21 the enormous complications and inconveniences of this 
22 arrangement, my research program has been set back at least 
23 a year. 
24 On the other hand. Dr. Kuehl and our other 
25 colleagues at the university have not even attempted to 
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