Stanford University, Stanford, California &400& 
Department of Biological Sciences 
CHARLES YANOFSKY 
Morris Herzstein Professor 
of Biology 
September 14, 1978 
Donald S. Fredrickson, M.D. 
Director 
Department of Health, Education, 
and Welfare 
Public Health Service 
National Institutes of Health 
Bethesda, Maryland 20014 
Dear Dr. Fredrickson: 
I would like to respond to your letter of August 1, requesting my 
comments on the Proposed Revised Guidelines for recombinant DNA 
research. 
I thoroughly approve of the changes incorporated in the revised 
guidelines, particularly the exemption of studies with certain 
organisms, the reduction in required physical and biological con- 
tainment , and the changes in MUA review procedures which will 
eliminate the excessive and unnecessary delays in project approval 
which everyone is experiencing under the existing guidelines. 
I personally am now convinced that there is no identifiable or 
foreseeable hazard associated with recombinant DNA research and 
therefore I feel that binding guidelines are unnecessary and 
unwarranted . However , I approve of the revised guidelines as a 
cautious interim step in dealing with this area of concern. 
Respectfully yours, 
Ch 
CY/an 
[A-144] 
