8 
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 
Unions, and the European Molecular Biology Organization, have made similar 
recommendations . 
The European Science Foundation, representing member nations from 
Western Europe and Scandinavia, has recommended to its members that they 
follow the guidelines of the United Kingdom. These guidelines are, in 
intent and substance, very similar to those of the National Institutes 
of Health. The NIH is currently working very closely with the United 
Kingdom and the European Science Foundation to ensure a commonality of 
standards in carrying out this research. Thus far, there has been very 
close cooperation and coordination among the various international and 
national scientific bodies, with a view to reaching a consensus on safety 
practices, programs, and procedures. 
At the meeting of the Committee held on November 23, the Federal 
research agencies discussed their activities and possible roles in the 
implementation of the NIH Guidelines. All research agencies endorsed the 
Guidelines to govern recombinant DNA research. At present, the NIH, the 
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