and the Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBCs) exacerbate 
the conflict of interest problems inherent in the system of 
self-regulation the guidelines rely on. These conflicts of 
interest inevitably lead to poor enforcement. Current 
regulations for training and monitoring laboratory workers 
are too vague. Finally, NRDC recommends some changes in the 
membership and activities of the biosafety committees and 
improved sanctions. 
NRDC makes the following major recommendations: 
1. NIH should initiate and fund a comprehensive 
risk assessment program to provide a scientific 
basis for defining appropriate containment 
requirements for recombinant DNA experiments. 
2. NIH should continue use of the 1976 guidelines 
with the strengthening changes proposed for the 
revised guidelines. (See §§ VI-A, VI-D-1 infra ) 
3. In the absence of recombinant DNA legislation, 
the Department of Health, Education and Welfare 
should establish standards for future revisions 
of the guidelines rather than leaving revisions to 
the discretion of the Director of NIH. Such 
standards should tie revisions to the results of 
the risk assessment program. Standards should be 
developed for the exercise of other discretionary 
functions by NIH and the IBCs. 
4. Institutional Biosafety Committees should not 
have primary responsibility for enforcing the 
guidelines . 
[A-179] 
