international representatives from the private sector to consider the 
questions of patents and the commercial use of this technology. 
C . International 
The World Health Organization has initiated a number of activities to 
promote safety practices in recombinant DNA research. In June 1975 the 
Advisory Committee on Medical Research (ACMR) of WHO issued a report con- 
cluding that recombinant DNA research should continue under appropriate 
safeguards. In September 1976, in Geneva, NIH and WHO jointly organized 
a conference on the subject of safety practices for the international 
transfer of research materials, especially in respect to infectious sub- 
stances. As a result of that conference, it was recommended that WHO 
establish an Advisory Group for Safety Measures in Microbiology and that 
four international working groups be created to initiate and monitor 
activities in the following areas: safe transfer of infectious materials, 
laboratory safety elements, maximum containment laboratories, and develop- 
ment of emergency services. 
ACMR accepted these recommendations in June 1977. Dr. K. Bogel cur- 
rently heads the Special Programme on Safety Measures in Microbiology; 
the four working groups have been created; and NIH is considering support 
for this program to develop international biological safety standards. 
(See Appendix VI.) 
At a meeting in June 1977, a subcommittee of ACMR recommended that WHO 
have a role in disseminating information and assisting other scientific 
organizations in performing risk-assessment studies relating to recombinant 
10 
[ 394 ] 
