Section III-A-2 of the NIH Guidelines and think no other agency is concerned about deliberate release, that a footnote be 
added to this section stating that investigators considering deliberate release should consult the applicable sections of 
EPA regulations or specific statutes that govern EPA. 
Dr. McGarrity questioned Dr. Moore's request for the RAC to postpone a recommendation on this issue. He said on 
both the Working Group on Release into the Environment and also the Working Group on Definitions for over two and 
one-half years have had active participation of other federal agencies including USDA, EPA, and FDA. 
Dr. Davis asked if there had been any request for a joint meeting between the RAC and the EPA BSAC. Mr. Mitchell 
replied that the BSAC as of this date still does not exist. 
In reply to a question from Dr. Sharpies as to why the Working Group on Release into the Environment had not been 
asked to evaluate Dr. Gottesman’s proposed amendment. Dr. Talbot explained that a working group is often called 
together when there is a proposal to develop. In this case. Dr. Gottesman had already developed the proposal, and it 
was then published in the Federal Register for everyone to comment on it Dr. Gottesman also noted that there is a 
great deal of overlap of membership between the Working Group on Release into the Environment and the Working 
Group on Definitions and that the latter group did discuss the proposal. Dr. Sharpies responded that a few key 
members of the Working Group on Release into the Environment had not been included in the Working Group on 
Definitions, and she would like to see the Working Group on Release into the Environment called back to participate in 
this decision. 
Dr. Sue Tolin of the USDA urged that the RAC should consider the proposal as a scientific issue without reference to 
what other agencies are doing. Dr. Milewski agreed and said that RAC's function is to make recommendations to Dr. 
Wyngaarden who sits on the BSCC where coordination can and should occur. 
Dr. Musgrave called the question, and Mr. Mitchell reviewed the wording of the proposed amendment. Dr. Gottesman 
suggested that sections b and c of her proposal could be voted on separately, and that Dr. Walters’ suggestion of a 
footnote could be included as a "friendly amendment". 
Dr. Cohen then asked for a point of information concerning work with deletion mutants in the laboratory without the 
intention of release into the environment Dr. Gottesman and Dr. Talbot noted that these types of experiments were 
already exempt under the current NIH Guidelines. 
Dr. Pirone questioned the footnote proposed by Dr. Walters and said it sounds like RAC is "ducking out on" rather than 
resolving the issue. Dr. Gottesman dropped the idea of including Dr. Walters' footnote in her motion. 
There being no other discussion on the motion, Mr. Mitchell put the motion in its original form, as duly moved and 
seconded, to a vote. The motion was carried with a vote of 16 in favor, 2 opposed, and 2 abstentions. 
Mr. Mitchell noted that an official photograph of the RAC would be taken. The retiring members of RAC who were 
in attendance were then presented Certificates of Appreciation for their service to the RAC, the NIH, the Public Health 
Service, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the nation. Those in attendance were Dr. McGonigle, Dr. 
Clowes, and Dr. Gottesman. Those not in attendance, Dr. Mills and Dr. Joklik, were acknowledged as well. Their 
certificates will be sent to them. Mr. Mitchell, in presenting the certificates, acknowledged the individual part each 
member had played. He thanked them for their many hours of hard work and the contributions that each had made to the 
reputation of the RAC. He stated that, despite retiring, the current members of RAC will continue to serve until such 
time as replacements are appointed. 
V. PROPOSAL TO ADD BACILLUS SPHAERICTJS TO APPENDIX C-V 
Dr. Clowes presented the proposal (tabs 1263 and 1269/11), which was a request by Dr. William Burke, Jr., Associate 
Professor of Microbiology at Arizona State University, that: 
"Bacillus sphaericus be added to the list of gram positive 
bacteria described in Appendix C-V of the May 7, 1986 
Guidelines which states that, "Recombinant DNA molecules 
derived entirely from extrachromosomal elements of the 
Recombinant DNA Research, Volume 11 
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