Some may worry that new engineered species may displace the natural 
species", and cause their extinction. This is possible, if unlikely. 
Domesticated Guernsey cows outnumber their wild ancestors. But this 
is just part of natural selection. It has both benefits and hazards. 
Regarding gene transfers from human to animal. Allow them. We 
can learn much about the causes and treatment of many human 
diseasesjguch as diabetes by this type of experiment. 
It is possible that some human intelligence genes might be transfered 
as well, perhaps inadvertently. There is, however, only a negligible 
chance that an intelligent new form will be produced. You must not 
prohibit such transfers. It is unethical to allow humans to suffer 
from genetic' diseases , just to avoid the possibility of producing 
an intelligent mammal of a lower species. 
I doubt that anyone could engineer a rabbit to be as intelligent as 
even a dolphin, let alone a human. There is too much technology 
involved. Fear of this type of thing is behind your misguided 
regulation. Like most of the fears in -recombinant DNA work, this 
one is unjustified. You are well aware of your previous excessive 
regulations that have since been modified because they were unsupported 
by either scientific evidence or common sense. Don't repeat your 
mistakes . 
You also must not prohibit the transfer of mammalian species genes 
into humans. I would like to have the wings of a bat, the disease 
resif ance of a sewer rat, and' the strength of a horse. I would 
not object if my descendents had these things. Again, genetic 
diseases may be prevented in humans by this type of transfer. 
Naturally, there are risks to introducing animal genes into the 
human genome. A person might not tfelk, but might moo like a cow. 
This is not an excuse to prohibit such experiments entirely, however. 
With time and learning, they can be controlled. Animal experiments 
should lead the way. Eventually, we may really be able to improve 
the human genome to eliminate certain diseases without risk. But 
only if experimentation is not prohibited by stupid bureaucrats 
and emotional, and egually . stupid , activists. Prohibiting such studies 
is morally wrong and unethical. Despite your wording m the regulation. 
Enough said. 
icerely yours, 
Bernard H. Berne, M.D. 
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