Annotated Chronology 
MAJOR EVENTS: 1973-1975 
July 11-15, 1973 GORDON CONFERENCE 
At the Gordon Research Conference on Nucleic Acids, the capability to 
perform recombinant DNA experiments became apparent and concern was 
expressed about the potential hazards of recombinant DNA molecules. The 
Conference voted to suggest that "the Academies establish a study 
committee to consider this problem and to recommend specific actions or 
guidelines, that seem appropriate." 
July 1974 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (NAS) COMMITTEE ON RECOMBINANT DNA 
MOLECULES 
This committee of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) published a 
letter proposing: That until potential hazards were better understood, 
scientists througi-out Lhe world should join with the members of the 
committee in voluntarily deferring certain experiments; That the Direc- 
tor of the National Insitutes of Health (NIH) be requested to give 
immediate consideration to establishing an advisory committee which 
would evaluate potential risks and devise procedures and guidelines 
to be followed by investigators working with potentially hazardous 
recombinant DNA mclecules, and; That an international meeting of 
involved scientists be convened to review scientific progress in this 
area and further discuss appropriate ways with which to deal with 
potential biohazards of recombinant DNA molecules. 
February 24-27, 1975 ASILOMAR 
The "International Conference on Recombinant DNA Molecules" took place 
at Asilomar Conference Center, Pacific Grove, California, sponsored by 
NAS and supported by NIH and the National Science Foundation (NSF). 
It was a attended by 150 people, including 52 foreign scientists from 
15 countries, 16 representatives of the press, and 4 attorneys. Partici- 
pants felt that work on construction of recombinant DNA molecules 
should proceed, provided that appropriate biological and physical 
containment was utilized in the conduct of experiments. The Conference 
made recommendations for matching levels of containment with levels 
of possible hazard for different types of experiments. Certain 
experiments were judged to pose such serious dangers that the Conference 
recommended they uhould not be undertaken at that time. 
February 26, 1975 FIRST MEETING OF NIH RECOMBINANT DNA MOLECULE PROGRAM 
ADVISORY COMMITTEE (hereafter, "Recombinant Advisory 
Committee" or "RAC") 
This Committee was established on October 7, 1974, to advise the 
Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, the Assistant Secretary for 
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