8 
have publicly given their assurance of voluntary compliance. No evidence 
has been offered that any research in this country is being done outside 
the standards of the NIH Guidelines. The Federal Interagency Committee 
on Recombinant DNA Research will continue to serve as a forum for 
coordination and cooperation for recombinant DNA activities in the 
relevant Federal research and regulatory programs. The members of 
the Interagency Committee will continue to maintain close liaison 
with their respective communities, including agricultural scientists, 
biomedical scientists, environmentalists, labor unions, and private 
industry. For example, the Commerce Department is exploring means to 
ensure appropriate coordination of efforts in broader reaches of the 
private sector along lines developed in the past with the Pharmaceutical 
Manufacturers Association and the Industrial Research Institute. 
International Activities 
The Federal Interagency Committee will soon issue a report to 
HEW Secretary Calif ano on recombinant DNA activities in other countries, 
with recommendations for fostering common safety standards. I will 
provide copies to the Committee when that report is issued. Let me say 
that scientists abroad, as in the United States, have played a leading 
role in bringing potential hazards of recombinant DNA research to 
the attention of scientists, governments, and international 
organizations . 
The issue of recombinant DNA research has been studied by 
national and international bodies throughout the world. In many 
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