INTERIM REPORT OF THE 
FEDERAL INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON RECOMBINANT DNA RESEARCH: 
SUGGESTED ELEMENTS FOR LEGISLATION 
March 15, 1977 
I . Introduction 
Recent scientific developments in genetics, particularly in the last 
four years, have culminated in the ability to join together genetic 
material from different sources in cell-free systems to form recombinant 
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules. DNA is the material that determines 
hereditary characteristics of all known cells. Recombinant DNA research 
offers great promise for better understanding and improved treatment of 
human diseases. Medical advances through use of this technology include 
the opportunity to explore complicated diseases and the functioning of 
cells, to better understand a variety of hereditary defects, and possibly 
in the future, to create microorganisms useful in producing medically 
important compounds for the treatment and control of disease. Aside from 
the potential medical benefits, a variety of other applications in science 
and technology are envisioned. An example is the large-scale production 
of enzymes for industrial use. Potential benefits in agriculture include 
the enhancement of nitrogen fixation in certain plants and the biological 
control of pests, permitting increased food production. 
There are risks in this new research area as well as anticipated 
benefits. A potential hazard, for example, is that the foreign DNA in 
a microorganism may alter it in unpredictable and undesirable ways. Should 
the altered microorganism escape from containment, it might infect human 
beings, animals, or plants, causing disease or modifying the environment. 
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