17 
Finally, 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 these concerns by requiring the formation of review boards 
to oversee human experimentation, animal care, and now DNA recombinant 
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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