Statement to the Director of the National Institutes of Health following 
Public Hearings on the proposed revised Guidelines for Recombinant DNA 
Research. December 15 and 16, 1977 
Rosemary Crone Menard 
Special Member Director's Advisory Committee 
Dear Dr. Fredrickson, 
Once again, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to par- 
ticipate in the recent public hearings on the proposed revised Guidelines 
for Recombinant DNA Research. The diverse points of view represented 
by the committee membership and the invited and public witnesses expand- 
ed my understanding of the many issues involved in the recombinant DNA 
controversy. My background, experience and interests helped me focus 
on several issues which I will address here, and though I will generally 
avoid those highly technical points raised during the hearings, I am 
never-the-less concerned for their resolution. Public confidence and 
the respect 'of the scientific community depend on the satisfactory re- 
solution of problems with the data base for the EK-2 host vector system 
and the methods used to calculate risks as examples of what I mean. 
The issues I will address fall into three catagories: those of con- 
cern to a worker in the field of recombinant DNA, those of concern to a 
member of a biohazard committee, and those of concern to a private citi- 
zen whose involvement with the League of Women Voters and the local polit- 
ical scene color her perspective. I will proceed to the points I want 
to make grouping them as the order above indicates* 
As one who works in the laboratory every day, I am concerned with 
the health and safety of not only myself but also of those working in a 
similar setting in general. I believe that a standardized training pro- 
gram for those working with recombinant organisms is essential. As this 
technology becomes a valuable research tool in areas where microbiological 
techniques are not commonly used, investigators need to have access to 
well established training programs to assure the safety of their staff 
and the community. Much of the responsibility for such training present- 
ly falls to the investigator and the variability which resulted is a 
good reason to ask institutions to take over this serious work. In add- 
ition, emergency plans which are required by the guidelines to plan for 
[Appendix A — 222] 
