Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee - 10/16/90 
detailed report would be prepared for presentation at the next 
meeting of the RAC. He noted that any one of these areas could 
be debated at length and asked if the committee wished to have a 
short discussion on any topics that had been brought up. 
Dr. Robert Murray said that one area that was clearly brought up 
several times was the necessity for RAC to begin to evaluate 
itself and develop a strategy for its future role. He suggested 
that rather than waiting for the February meeting that, if not 
out of order, he would move that a subcommittee be established to 
begin this process. 
Dr. McGarrity cautioned that subcommittees of the RAC are 
established through its Charter and that the committee cannot 
itself establish additional subcommittees. 
Dr. Robert Murray then moved an ad hoc subcommittee be 
established for this purpose. Mr. earner seconded the motion 
saying that it was both timely and important. 
Dr. Wivel suggested that the term "working group" would be a 
better way to couch the identity of such a group to fit within 
the framework of the Charter for the RAC, and questioned the 
ability of any committee to critically evaluate itself. Dr. 
Robert Murray pointed to the fact that most legitimate 
professional groups do have self-study groups and that if 
necessary outside critique of any self-study could be obtained. 
Dr. Barbara Murray cautioned that by setting up such a group 
decisions on many concrete issues may be put on hold until the 
self-study is completed and she felt there should be a mechanism 
in place to assure timely decisionmaking on these issues. 
Dr. Childress suggested that a group be established to review the 
discussions and testimony obtained in the regional hearings and 
present recommendations back to the RAC, but that it was apparent 
some group needed to be set up to begin to sort out the key 
issues and arguments so that the committee as a whole can then 
evaluate them. 
Dr. Geiduschek noted that it was clear that the RAC operates 
under a Charter from the Department of Health and Human Services 
(DHHS) . There are always certain questions which are to be 
evaluated. Regardless of the answers obtained to said questions 
the RAC will be unable to act, due to the fact that it functions 
in an advisory role and has no authority for action. Therefore 
the outcome of any self-study can only be to provide information 
to others who do have the authority to act, i.e., the Director of 
NIH and the Secretary of DHHS. 
Recombinant DNA Research, Volume 14 
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