246 
I think if you want to get worried, just get scared to death the next 
time you let a dog lick you. 
DR. FREDRICKSON: Thank you very much, Dr. Watson. 
We are going to proceed now. We have four more members of the public 
who have asked to talk, and the first of these is Dr. Naum Bers, who is 
from Rockville, Maryland. 
DR. BERS: Thank you for this opportunity, ladies and gentlemen. I wish 
to first of all make a clarification, a point of clarification to properly 
identify myself. I am Dr. Naum S. Bers, spelled B-e-r-s. I am no relation 
whatsoever to Dr. Donald Beers, spelled, I believe, with two e's, referred 
to earlier by Ms. Simring. But more importantly, I was referred to earlier, 
although not by name, by Dr. Walters, I believe, when he indicated to you that 
there is a person who has submitted comments to this Committee whose position 
is that, not only should there be instituted a biosafety officer, but more- 
over, that there should be instituted two separate positions, one for a 
safety manager and one separately for a biological officer. And to make one 
further clarification, and in light of what the previous speaker has related 
to you, I do realize that we are dealing here with both real and potential 
hazards; but from ray perspective as a biomedical engineer, which is what I 
am, I have in my background and experience been often frustrated by what 
appeared to be a disconcern of microbiologists with the administrative 
management of safety. Most of them have been concerned primarily to go 
ahead with their research and have put little effort in the systematic 
establishment of safety in their laboratories. So these two particular 
positions that I intend to separate would, at this time at least, stimulate 
some interest that the institutions who are conducting such research should 
establish such two clearly identifiable positions so that these two indivi- 
duals would be responsible for all biolab safety, and not just for real or 
potential DNA hazards. 
Well, at any rate, I have my comments summarized in the form of a blank 
diagram, I believe, on page 57 of your Orange Book. It was my initial intent 
to take this opportunity and project on the screen that diagram, and discuss 
it with you. But from what I have learned here yesterday, I said to myself, 
oy vay, you would probably never get a chance to do that in five minutes. So 
what I did instead, I went home and late last night I typed up a very brief 
statement, and made some copies of it this morning. So I would like at this 
time while I am talking to have it distributed around the table. I have 30 
copies. It was my intent to at least rush through them quickly. 
DR. FREDRICKSON: I am afraid you won't have time. 
DR. BERS: Okay, I know. I will stay within the prescribed limits here 
and just spend another minute and no more to say that once you read through 
the summary of my statement and there are any questions, I would be very 
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