3 
The recombinant DNA research issue raises short-range and long- 
range problems. The short-range problems concern protection of pub- 
lic health and the environment from potentially hazardous organisms 
produced in the course of DNA research. The long-range problems 
concern the ethical implications of the man-made genetic recombina- 
tions which such research may make possible. 
In 1973, during the Gordon Conference on Nucleic Acids in New 
England, a group of scientists indicated their concern about the po- 
tential public health hazard posed by certain kinds of genetic research 
involving recombinant DNA. This concern stemmed from the scien- 
tists' realization that this new “biochemical tool' 5 might accidentally 
produce a recombinant molecule with hazardous characteristics. For 
example, the scientists hjrpothesized that an accidental modification of 
a molecule of an otherwise harmless organism might produce in that 
organism the ability to cause cancer or some highly infectious 
disease which might be highly dangerous if inadvertently released into 
the environment. There were also questions raised about the ethical 
and moral implications of genetic interventions in humans using tech- 
niques derived from DNA methodologies. 
As a result of these and other concerns, and as recommended in a 
later letter to the National Academy of Sciences, an international 
group of eminent scientists met to discuss the problem at Asilomar, 
California, in 1975. From this meeting, the so-called “Asilomar Guide- 
lines” for the safe conduct of recombinant DNA research emerged, 
together with recommended restrictions on the conduct of certain more 
hazardous types of this research. These restrictions on certain experi- 
ments were reportedly voluntarily observed by scientists throughout 
the country and in many parts of the world. 
The original Asilomar guidelines were subsequently reviewed bv 
the Special DNA Recombinant Molecule Advisory Committee of the 
National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH guidelines covered 
recombinant DNA research funded by the 17. S. Department of Health, 
Education, and Welfare (DHEWi. After several months’ considera- 
tion, the Advisory Committee further modified, and in some instances 
strengthened, the original Asilomar guidelines. These new NIH guide- 
lines were published in Part II of the Federal Register for July 7, 
1976, to apply to all HEW-funded recombinant DNA research proj- 
ects. Subsequently, a special interagency advisory group was estab- 
lished. Its purpose was to coordinate all federally funded research with 
recombinant DNA. Participating Federal agencies agreed to utilize 
the guidelines established by NIH in order to have a uniform Federal 
policy. 
This Committee has been concerned for some time about the implica- 
tions of recombinant DNA research activities and has conducted sepa- 
rate hearings to examine various aspects of the issue since 1975. The 
first Avas held in April 1975, very soon after the Asilomar Conference. 
During that hearing, witnesses explained the state-of-the-art of recom- 
binant DNA research at that time, highlighted some of the possible 
risks associated with the research, and generally raised the issue of the 
effect of public involvement in decisions relating to the conduct of sci- 
entific research. The second hearing, held in September 1976, was an 
oversight hearing on the implemenation of the NIH Recombinant 
DNA Guidelines. The third hearing, in April 1977, addressed specific 
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