TAB A 
THE WHITE HOUSE 
WAS H I N GTON 
September 22, 1976 
MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES 
On June 23 the National Institutes of Health released 
guidelines for the conduct of research involving the 
creation of new forms of life used in studying genetics 
(recombinant DNA experiments) . These guidelines establish 
carefully controlled conditions for experiments in which 
foreign genes are inserted into microorganisms, such as 
bacteria. The objective of the guidelines is the containment 
of these possibly dangerous organisms while permitting 
research of great potential benefit to mankind. 
The guidelines extend a moratorium that the scientists 
themselves imposed on certain experiments involving re- 
combinant DNA. I am advised by the Secretary of Health, 
Education, and Welfare that recombinant DNA research has 
great potential in medicine as well as in science and 
technology generally. There are risks, however. The NIH 
guidelines prohibit certain types of experiments and require 
special safety conditions for other experiments. The pro- 
visions are designed to afford protection with a wide margin 
of safety to workers and the environment. 
The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare expects 
these guidelines to be supported by the largest part of 
the scientific community and will use them to govern research 
at laboratories of the National Institutes of Health and at 
those of its grantees and contractors. 
Secretary Mathews will be convening an interagency committee 
to review Federal policies on the conduct of research involving 
recombinant DNA. 
I expect the full cooperation of each department and agency 
conducting or supporting recombinant DNA experiments with 
Secretary Mathews, who will take the lead in this. 
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