( 2 ) 
determine the extent to which the NIH Guidelines may 
currently be applied to research in the public and 
private sectors; 
(3) recommend, if appropriate, legislative or executive actions 
necessary to ensure compliance with the standards set for this 
research; and 
(4) provide for the full communication and necessary exchange of 
information on recombinant-DNA-research programs and activities 
throughout' the Federal sector. 
Two meetings of the Committee were held in November 1976. The first 
of these, on November 4, was devoted to a review of the development of 
the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules. The 
Committee also reviewed activities in other countries on the development 
of guidelines for this research. Recombinant DNA research is being conducted 
in a number of countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, most of 
Western Europe, the Scandinavian countries. Eastern Europe, the Soviet 
Union, and Japan. 
In many countries appropriate governmental or scientific bodies have 
reviewed the research and have agreed that it should proceed. Several 
of the countries have acted to establish guidelines to govern the conduct 
of this research, including the United Kingdom and Canada. In the 
United Kingdom a parliamentary committee addressed the issue and indicated 
that work in this area should continue under appropriate safety conditions. 
Scientific advisory committees of international organizations, such as 
the World Health Organization, the International Councils of Scientific 
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