5 
A review and analysis of comments received on the question of 
patenting recombinant DNA inventions were completed in December 1976 and 
referred to the Federal Interagency Committee on Recombinant DNA 
Research for their attention. 
The Interagency Committee, convened by the Secretary of HEW with 
the approval of the President, serves as a forum to review Federal 
policy on recombinant DNA issues. It provides coordination among the 
agencies on recombinant DNA activities and makes administrative and 
legislative proposals when appropriate. 
On the Committee are representatives of all Federal Departments and 
agencies that support or conduct such research or might have regulatory 
authority over it. 
A number of the agency representatives referred the analysis to 
their patent counsels. Among agencies commenting were the National 
Science Foundation, the Defense Department, the Department of Agri- 
culture, the Energy Research and Development Administration, and the 
Department of Justice. 
All agencies on the Committee except Justice agreed that recombi- 
nant DNA research inventions should be handled on the same terms as 
other inventions under IPA's. The Department of Justice believed that, 
because of the great public interest in this field, ownership of any 
invention stemming from Government-sponsored recombinant DNA research 
should be held by the U.S. Government. 
[Appendix B — 249] 
