DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE 
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE 
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 
BETHESDA. MARYLAND 20014 
July 6, 1976 
Mr. Robert M. Rosenzweig 
Vice President for Public Affairs 
Stanford University 
Stanford, California 94305 
Dear Mr. Rosenzweig: 
I am writing in response to your letter of June 18. Dr. Joseph Perpich 
has told me of his conversation with you concerning the patent issues 
you raised in your letter and the accompanying memorandum. I appreciate 
your concern and I recognize the importance of this matter. I have 
been receiving letters from a number of interested parties on this 
issue. Those who fear most the potential hazards in recombinant DNA 
research are concerned about the impact of patents on defining potential 
risks and hazards. 
In light of the issues raised in your letter and in other letters sent 
to me on this matter, I have undertaken a careful review of our patent 
policies with respect to recombinant DNA research. I wish to assure 
you, however — as Mr. Norman Latker, the patent counsel for the Depart- 
ment of Health, Education, and Welfare, may already have told you — 
in proceeding to obtain patents, Stanford has acted consistently within 
the terms of the institutional agreement Stanford has with the Depart- 
ment. I shall keep you informed of my policy review. 
Sincerely yours, 
/s/ Donald S. Fredrickson, M.D. 
Donald S. Fredrickson, M.D. 
Director 
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