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April 19, 1978 
Dr. Donald Frederickson 
I don't normally mind my European colleagues making important advances, but I 
do object when they make such advances because they can do experiments that I 
am banned from doing! I feel that we are being penalized by the existing regu- 
lations. I believe that the majority of experiments involving recombinant DNA 
are safe and that we are in a position to make significant advances in a number 
of areas that will be of considerable benefit to the welfare of man. 
At the present time, we are on the threshold of operating under a Communistic 
system in our basic research where the Government determines what experiments can 
be done. The irony is that those countries, generally considered less free in 
other respects, are now taking advantage of our new discoveries, funded by NIH 
and NSF grants; while we have to sit back and watch, or try to devise schemes 
to get around the present guidelines. 
Although the introduction of laws protecting^ constituents against the imaginary 
and science fictional hazards of recombinant DNA research may appear to be necessary, 
I question whether legislators like yourself have considered fully the implications 
of these laws on the execution and progress of basic and applied biological research 
in the U.S., with subsequent loss of benefit to the entire population. 
I urge you to consider and reconsider proposed action on recombinant DNA 
research in the U.S. Senate and House. We must beware of the introduction of 
restrictive rules that we will be unable to reverse. The present guidelines are 
severe and are an impediment to the advancement of U.S. science. Relaxation, and 
not stringency should be your major action. 
Thanking you in advance for your help, 
clw 
[Appendix A — 283] 
