14 
biological ancestry — and aberrations or faults in DNA are undoubtedly 
responsible for inherited disabilities and predispositions to disease. 
Under proper safeguards, much good can flow from this latest develop- 
ment in the steady process of science. Research on recombinant DNA 
holds the promise of becoming a powerful tool in the conquest of 
disease and, ultimately, in the prevention or correction of inherited 
malfunctions and disabilities. 
In conclusion, I want to note that biomedical research is entering a 
new era in its relationship to society. It is passing from an extended 
period of relative privacy and autonomy to an engagement with new ethical, 
legal, and social imperatives under concerned public scrutiny. NIH has 
responded to this concern by requiring the formation of review boards to 
oversee human experimentation, animal care, and now genetic recombination 
experiments. Similar bodies may soon have to oversee other hazardous 
laboratory work. These responsibilities are inescapable adjustments to 
the rising demand for public governance of science, though this need not — 
and, indeed, should not — go beyond what is clearly required for public 
safety lest we inadvertently Impede successful research and hamper 
creativity. The progress of science will continue to depend on the 
initiative and insights — call it inspiration, if you like — of individual 
scientists. 
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