Parke, Davis & Company 
2800 Plymouth Road 
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 
Telephone (313) 663-7585 
PARKE- DAVIS 
Research and Development Division 
September 22,1976 
Donald S. Frederickson, M.D. 
Director 
National Institutes of Health, 
Bldg. 1, Room 124 
Dept, of Health, Education and Welfare 
Public Health Service 
Bethesda, Maryland 20014 
Dear Don: 
The question which you pose in your recent letter concerning the 
development of policies governing patent rights of institutions in the 
area of recombinant DNA is indeed difficult. This is especially true 
when one considers the need for a continued free flow of information 
deriving from this type of research while at the same time recog- 
nizing the apprehensions of the public in this regard. There is no 
easy answer. It may even be necessary to establish new regulations 
which are at best tentative with the idea that these will be reviewed 
and evaluated at some specifically designated time. 
Hopefully, the final decision will protect the rights of the 
scientist while not abridging those of the public. However, because 
of the nature of this particular situation, I feel that the Department's 
standard approach to patent rights is not sufficient to cover the many 
unknowns certain to arise. Therefore, I would support a modification 
of the Department's present policy. 
In reviewing your recent letter, I would support options four and 
three in that order of priority. Granted, there are several other 
possibilities .. .yet , option four appears to maintain institutional 
privilege while permitting a type of Departmental participation. A 
participation which does not appear to encroach in any significant 
manner upon institutional privilege. 
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