Received October 10, 1984 
Director 
;|j Office Recombinant DNA Activities 
Building 31 
Room 3B10 
National Institutes of Health 
Bethesda, Maryland 20205 
To Whom It May Concern: 
i RE: Proposed Addition of Prohibited Experiments to the Guidelines 
I work in a school in which a girl of 28 months is 
enrolled. This child has a diagnosis of Metachromatic 
Leukodystrophy. The cause of this disease is a recessive 
genetic trait which limits the production of Arylsyphatase A. 
Arylsuphatase A is a chemical which is necessary for proper 
j function of the nerve cell. 
I 
This child appeared normal at birth with normal development 
until age 20 months, she then began regressing and is now 
unable to walk, talk or even hold her head up. She has a 4 
month old sister who has also been diagnosed with the same 
disease. If the two girls could have gene transfers in the 
near future, the older girl's progressive disease could be 
stopped, and the infant could develop normally. If genetic 
research loses the funding necessary to continue, then the 
progressive fatal disease of these two children will continue. 
There are many genetic diseases as well as cancer, which 
could benefit from the continuing research in Recombinant DNA. 
Please continue Recombinant DNA research so more people 
in the future may become healthy, happy, productive individuals. 
Sincerely, 
SIMILAR LETTERS WERE ALSO RECEIVED FROM THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS: 
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