3. Accept the notion and spirit of the recommendations but suggest further 
refinement. The working group could then meet again and publish its 
revised recommendations in the Federal Register and present them at the 
next RAC meeting. 
Dr. McGarrity then pointed out that the present definition of "recombinant DNA" can be found in the May 7, 1986, 
issue of the Federal Register on page 16959 in Section I-B of the NIH Guidelines. He stated the working group had 
considerable discussion on this definition but that there was some concern about the mechanics of attempting to define 
such a rapidly changing and still-developing specialty. Therefore, the working group decided not to change the 
definition, but recommended rather that the following sentence be added after the fust paragraph of Section I-B: 
"Genomes which contain only deletions, single base changes 
or rearrangements are not considered to be recombinant DNA, 
irrespective of the method by which they were produced." 
Dr. McGarrity stated that the working group had passed this resolution by a vote of 1 1 in favor, none opposed, and 2 
abstentions. He further amplified that the sense of the working group was that this sentence is intended to cover 
duplications, amplifications, and translocations but is not intended to cover movement of plasmid or viral DNA into a 
chromosome. 
In relation to the definition of "deliberate release into the environment," Dr. McGarrity stated that the RAC will be 
considering a proposal from Susan Gouesman to amend Section ni-A-2 of the NIH Guidelines. At present, this section 
contains the words, "except certain plants as described in Appendix L." Dr. Gottesman’s proposal is that two new 
sentences be added, i.e., "Deletion derivatives not otherwise covered by the NTH Guidelines," and "Organisms covered in 
exemption III-D-2." He further noted that the working group endorsed both of these proposals by a wide margin. 
Dr. McGarrity said that the working group struggled for many hours before voting that the following sentence be added 
at the end of Section m-A-2: 
"The term 'deliberate release' is defined as a planned 
introduction of recombinant DNA-containing 
microorganisms, plants, or animals into the 
environment." 
Dr. McGarrity stated that the vote on this issue was very close: 5 in favor, 4 opposed, and one abstention. 
The working group moved that Section m-A-2 of the NIH Guidelines be amended to read as follows: 
"Deliberate release into the environment of any organism 
containing recombinant DNA except small-scale field tests 
in which there is adequate evidence of biological and/or 
physical control of the recombinant DNA-containing 
organisms. The nature of such evidence is described in 
Appendix L, M, and N." 
Dr. McGarrity stated that this language was approved by the working group by a vote of 10 in favor, 1 opposed, and no 
abstentions. Appendix L would be the current Appendix L dealing with plants with future changes to be determined by 
the RAC. Appendices M and N would be parallel sections, to be written, covering animals and microorganisms. 
Dr. McGarrity then said that the members of the working group discussed the possibility of holding a workshop to 
address issues of environmental release. A motion was made, but defeated, to request the National Research Council 
(NRC) to hold such a workshop to involve various Government agencies. The defeat of the motion centered around the 
view in die working group that the NIH could better serve its needs for scientific advice in this area by directly calling 
together scientific workgroups rather ihan asking the NRC to do so. 
In summary. Dr. McGarrity stated the recommendations that the working group was putting forward are simply 
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