18 
moral, or public policy questions, "at what level would there be questions 
posed?" Would the animal have to take on human character ictics before a 
problem would be identified? 
Mr. Rifkin asked RAC to develop detailed criteria. "What genes are 
permissible in the human gene pool to transfer to other species? What 
genes in the human gene pool are impermissible to transfer to other species?" 
If the carrruittee decides such criteria cannot be developed, then all human 
genes could potentially be transferred to other species for some short-term 
medical or economic benefit. Mr. Rifkin said this possibility poses a major 
ethical and policy question. 
Mr. Rifkin said every major scientist, institution, and association in the 
United States has responded to the Federal Register announcement of his 
proposals and almost all have stated that they find absolutely no ethical 
problems in transferring genes between species. Mr. Rifkin noted, however, 
that several commentators including Dr. David Baltimore, Director of the 
Whitehead Institute, wrote that seme ethical questions might arise if genes 
from other species are transferred into the human germline. Mr. Rifkin 
said he could not understand why introducing a gene from another species 
into the human germline might pose an ethical problem while transferring a 
human gene into the germline of other species would not pose a problem. He 
contended the NIH should have considered the ethical issues of transferring 
genes between species before funding Dr. Brinster's grant. 
Mr. Rifkin in concluding his remarks said: 
"Finally, this ccmmittee could decide today on a quick vote, which it 
has done many times in the past - and we've been together many times - 
that there are no problems here, a quick vote up or down, no ethical 
concerns on transferring genes between species; but I would like to say 
that even if that vote ccmes today the concerns of this committee might 
not be the concerns of the rest of the American public. New, I know 
that many scientists think the American public are not educated, they 
can't possibly understand all the complex questions raised by this 
technology, that unfounded fears are often raised in dealing with this. 
I suggest that that's not a correct analysis. Genetic engineering 
gives us the most potentially powerful instrument to change the biology 
of this planet that we have ever had at our disposal. Certainly the 
American public has every right to believe there are sane ethical and 
social questions at each stage, and I would say that this stage is a 
fundamental precedent stage today. This committee, by its vote, will 
say to the Director of the NIH that it is ycur opinion that there is 
no ethical problem as we proceed with this technology in transferring 
genetic traits between species; and therefore, it should be the accepted 
policy of the United States government to proceed." 
Mr. Rifkin said Dr. Michael Fax, Scientific Director of the Humane Society 
of the United States and co-plantiff with the Foundation on Economic Trends 
in a lawsuit against the NIH, also wished to comment on the proposal. 
[150] 
