3 
II. Development of the NIH Guidelines 
Scientists engaged in recombinant DNA research first expressed concern 
about the potential biohazards at the Gordon Research Conference on Nucleic 
Acids in July 1973. At their request, the National Academy of Sciences 
created a committee that outlined restrictions for these types of experi- 
ments and organized an international conference to consider this problem 
further. The committee also called on the NIH to establish an advisory 
committee to study containment procedures and draft guidelines for the 
conduct of this research. At the International Conference on Recombinant 
DNA Molecules held at Asilomar, California, in February 1975, temporary 
guidelines were issued calling for a moratorium on some experiments but 
allowing others to proceed with appropriate biological and physical safe- 
guards, pending issuance of NIH guidelines. 
In response to the National Academy of Sciences, the NIH Recombinant 
DNA Molecule Program Advisory Committee (hereafter, the NIH Recombinant 
Advisory Committee) was established in October 1974 to advise the Secretary 
of HEW, the Assistant Secretary of Health, and the Director of NIH in 
accomplishing their tasks. In December 1975, the Committee, after several 
open meetings and half a dozen working drafts, recommended proposed guide- 
lines to the NIH Director for his review and decision. 
To assist the Director in his review of the proposed guidelines, a 
special meeting of the Advisory Committee to the Director, NIH, was 
convened in February 1976. Members of the Committee represented not 
only science but such other disciplines as law, ethics, and consumer 
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