IV. SCIENCE POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF THE DNA 
RECOMBINANT MOLECULE ISSUE 
A. Introduction 
A principal objective of the entire series of hearings was to focus 
upon the science policy implications of the issues highlighted by the 
national and international controversy over the regulation of DNA 
recombinant molecule research. The Subcommittee wished to consider 
such topics as: (1) the complex task of improving public participation 
in scientific and technical decision-making ; (2) the action which should 
or could be taken by the Government to encourage scientists to provide 
an early warning when new developments with a potential for social 
impact are in the early stages; (3) the freedom of scientific inquiry; 
(4) who among the public should be involved in the decision-making 
process; and (5) ways which might be useful in resolving value con- 
flicts among the various groups who become involved in these issues. 
It became obvious during the discussions of the role of risk-benefit 
analysis in science policy that social factors are increasing in impor- 
tance in the evaluations pertinent to the determination of such policy. 
The DNA debate produced many relatively unique opportunities for 
the participation of non-scientists in a public examination of a research 
issue. The debates also involved a number of professional societies, 
lawyers, social scientists and ethicists. In order to examine the ideas 
developed by such individuals, several witnesses were asked to present 
their views regarding the DNA controversy and to place these views 
in the broader context of the need to reevaluate past and present 
procedures in science policy determinations. 
B. International Activities 
The nature of international proposals for the regulation of DNA 
recombinant research was discussed by William J. Whelan, Chair- 
man of the Department of Biochemistry, University of Miami School 
of Medicine. Dr. Whelan is the Secretary General of the International 
Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) and the Chairman of the Com- 
mittee on Genetic Experimentation (CO GENE), of ICSU. The 
International Council of Scientific Unions includes 18 international 
scientific unions with 64 national members. The Committee on 
Genetic Experimentation (CO GENE) has identified a need for an 
international, interdisciplinary, nongovernmental, and apolitical group 
to solve some of the problems relevant to the issues surrounding DNA 
recombinant research. 
There are regular observers at the COGENE meetings from 
UNESCO, FAO, and WHO. Thus, the international commitment to 
this problem appears to be rather extensive. Dr. Whelan emphasized 
that the perspective of COGENE is not to determine whether the 
research should be banned but instead, recognizing the value of the 
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