and host organisms and is not current with the rest of the NIH 
Guidelines . 
Dr. McKinney said there are a number of experiments which fall in 
the "Exempt Category” as well as a number of experiments which do 
not require filing a registration document with the IBCs and 
others where IBC filing and approval are required. This caused 
Dr. McKinney to propose to ORDA that RAC create a subcommittee to 
study the issue of Appendix H so that it can be updated and made 
current with the rest of the NIH Guidelines in terms of the 
characterization and classification of recombinant molecules. 
Dr. McKinney said while there are a number of organisms exempt 
for research purposes, they may not be exempt for mailing. A 
balance must be maintained between what is acceptable for mailing 
and in what form. There may be cases where a recombinant is 
acceptable for mailing and the host molecule may not be, or vice 
versa. He said a review of this would be challenging, but it was 
clearly something that would aid the technology as well as 
investigators . 
Dr. McKinney said one comment had been submitted in the form of a 
proposed draft from the Advisory Committee to the U.S. Department 
of Commerce. Dr. Robert Stevenson was present and may wish to 
address the issue. Dr. McGarrity said he would give 
Dr. Stevenson a chance to comment after the primary and secondary 
reviewers . 
Dr. Musgrave said the U.S. Postal Service determines what markets 
it wishes to serve, and this should not be a driving force in 
decisions made by the RAC as to issues of mailability. He said 
the issue has to do with interagency regulations between the U.S. 
Departments of Transportation and Health and Human Services, 
rather than involving the Postal Service. He did not believe 
changes were necessary in labeling to suit one vendor of 
services . 
Dr. McGarrity said there was concern that if the Postal Service 
refused acceptance of materials that perhaps private carriers 
would do the same. Dr. Musgrave reiterated that it was only in 
the best interest of the industry to ensure that there was no 
mislabeling and no danger in mailing. Whether the Postal Service 
chooses to meet a particular market should not be of concern to 
the Committee. Dr. McKinney said this was true, but many of the 
private mail carriers follow the policies of the Postal Service 
to a large extent. In fact, the Airline Pilot's Association 
regulations are more restrictive than the Postal Service. 
Dr. McKinney said changes in Appendix H might help alleviate some 
problems of shipping significant quantities of agents for 
potential agricultural use which are restricted at present. 
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Recombinant DNA Research, Volume 13 
