[Sample letter to voluntary health agencies and foundations. 
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION. AND WELFARE 
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE 
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OP HEALTH 
] 
BETMCSOA MARYLAND 20014 
November 17, 1976 
Dear 
1 am writing to inquire about your organization's role in the support 
or conduct of recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) research and 
the potential application of the National Institutes of Health 
guidelines to your research activities in this area. As you may 
know, the NIH on June 23 released guidelines that established 
strict conditions for these experiments. 
Because there is public concern that the NIH guidelines be extended 
beyond the NIH to public and private sectors, an Interagency 
Committee has been created to address these and other important 
public policy issues. A memorandum was sent by the President on 
September 22 to all Government Department and Agency Heads 
requesting their cooperation in the formation of an interagency 
committee. Following that memorandum, Secretary of Health, 
Education, and Welfare David Mathews sent a letter to agency heads 
requesting that they nominate representatives to serve on this 
conxnittee. The conxnittee held its first meeting on November 4. 
At Secretary Mathews' request, I am serving as chairman. 
The mandate of the committee is to review the nature and scope of 
Federal and private-sector activities relating to recombinant DNA 
research and to determine the applicability of the NIH guidelines 
to govern tnis research in the public and private sectors. Further, 
the committee shall recommend whether legislative or executive 
action is necessary to ensure compliance to standards. Contacts 
have been made and are being pursued to determine the scope of this 
activity and the application of the NIH guidelines to private industry. 
I am writing to ask your cooperation in providing the committee 
such information — namely, the nature and scope of your organization's 
research in this area and your possible use of the NIH guidelines. 
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