ROCHE INSTITUTE OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 
Nutley, New Jersey 07110 
Telex: 133-417 
October 4, 1984 
Dr. William J. Gartland 
Executive Secretary, RAC 
National Institute of Allergy 
and Infectious Diseases 
National Institutes of Health 
Bethesda, MD 20205 
Dear Dr. Gartland: 
I am re spondng to the letter dated September 1 7 , 1984 from Dr. Ruth L. 
Kirschstein requesting comments on the proposal from Mr. Jeremy Rifkin for 
consideration of an amendment to the NIH Guidelines on Recombinant DNA 
Research. 
I would strongly oppose this amendment for the following reasons: 
1. The request from Mr. Rifkin is not for consideration of the 
merits or hazards of such research, including the potential 
harm that might be caused to the mammalian species involved, 
but for a direct ban. 
2. The species involved have already undergone extensive genetic 
modification as a result of breeding programs designed by man. 
In many cases these modified forms would not survive in the 
habitat of their progenitors. I do not consider modification 
by germ line transfer to be conceptually different. 
3. I would oppose any such blanket restriction on research and the 
quest for new scientific information as a dangerous precedent 
that is incompatible with scientific freedom. How the results 
of such research are implemented becomes a matter for regulation, 
but not the conduct of the research per se. 
Yours sincerely, 
B. L. Horecker 
BLH: jm 
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