United States; and (3) the present NIH guidelines be promulgated 
immediately as interim relief ’regulations governing all parties 
conducting or supporting such research. 
This document includes: 
I. A description of the scope of this petition (p. 4) ; 
II. A description of the petitioners (p. 6) ; 
III. A discussion of the need to control recombinant DNA 
research and technology in the interest of public health 
(p. 7) ; 
IV. A discussion of the legal basis for the regulation of 
recombinant DNA research and technology by the Secretary of 
HEW (p. 13); and 
V. A description of proposed relief (p. 15) . 
I. Scope of the Petition 
By this petition EDF and NRDC seek interim and 
final regulations which will protect the public from the 
potential Hazards of uncontrolled recombinant DNA research 
and technology. 
In this petition the term "recombinant DNA research 
and technology" means all procedures in which DNA fragments 
from two or more different organisms or viruses which do not norma 
recombine in nature are recombined in the laboratory and inserted 
into a living host cell or organism in such a way as to alter its 
genetic make-up. This includes, but is not limited to, any experi 
ments involving transportation of or commercial use of recombinan 
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