AMERICAN SOCIETY OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTS 
— INCORPORATED — 
CHARLES YANOFSKY 
PRESIDENT 
DR CHARLES YANOFSKY 
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 
STANFORD UNIVERSITY 
STANFORD. CA 94305 
TEL.: 415 • 497 • 2413 
October 10, 1984 
Dr. William J. Gartland 
Executive Secretary, RAC 
National Institute of Allergy 
and Infectious Diseases 
National Institutes of Health 
Bethesda, Maryland 20205 
Dear Dr. Gartland, 
As President of the American Society of Biological Chemists, I feel 
compelled to respond to Jeremy Rifkin's proposed amendment to the NIH 
Guidelines on Recombinant DNA Research that would prohibit experiments 
involving transfer of genetic traits frcm one mammalian species into the 
germline of another unrelated manmalian species. 
I strongly oppose the adoption of this amendment for the following 
reasons : 
The opportunity for viral-media ted transfer of genetic material 
between manmalian species already exists in nature. 
Most genes of different mammalian species are closely related - many 
are no different than a mutant gene and its normal form. There is no 
scientific basis for the belief that the individual genes of each species 
are that unique. 
In dealing with certain human diseases, gene transfer may be the only 
feasible means of overcoming the consequences of a serious genetic 
defect. We must learn how to perform such transfers so that we may 
explore how to use this information to plan strategies to aid diseased 
individuals and their offspring. 
Modern medicine already does much to keep individuals with genetic 
defects alive to the child-bearing age and beyond. Since society and the 
medical profession welcome these efforts, we must not prohibit exploration 
of any possibility of correcting a serious genetic defect. 
Sincerely yours 
cc: Charles Hancock 
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