question would be left open; it has already been raised in the full 
RAC at least twice. 
Dr. Atlas re-read the proposed preamble with "viral genome" added. 
Dr. McVicar asked what "reference to G-III-2" meant. Dr. McKinney 
answered that this reference to the CDC-NIH publication. Biosafety 
in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories, would include the 
shipment of the HIV virus in the NIH Guidelines. 
Dr. Atlas stated that the proposed document would not reference 
specific subparts of Department of Transportation and other 
regulations, but would include references to other regulations for 
the relevant departments. 
Dr. McVicar noted that the illustration accompanying the NIH 
Guidelines, which is not formally a part of the Guidelines and 
regulations for shipping purposes, is provided merely as an example 
of how to comply with shipping regulations; it is a customary CDC 
method. If this illustration were referenced in the proposed 
changes, it would not need to be reprinted in the new regulations. 
Because better and less expensive shipping packages may be 
developed, he hoped that shippers would view the illustration as 
"one method" for shipping purposes rather than "the exclusive 
method." In the past, he felt that because the illustration was 
perceived as the only accepted method, it had inhibited the 
development of ideas for new methods. The illustration could be 
eliminated entirely and replaced with a description of shipping 
methods in the text. 
Mr. Brewer suggested changing the caption and text of the 
illustration to "one method of" shipping. He argued that the 
Subcommittee should develop performance standards rather than 
promote one method, as currently implied by the illustration. Dr. 
Atlas agreed, suggesting a modification in the figure legend to "an 
illustration of one method of...." Dr. McVicar added that the 
labels could also differentiate between classes of shipments, such 
as "biological product/clinical specimen" and "etiologic agent." 
Eliminating the illustration would simplify the process. 
Dr. Atlas believed that shippers will continue to open the NIH 
Guidelines to the same illustration, regardless of whether a 
subsequent paragraph adds corrections. The problem was not a legal 
question. For example, new actions in the NIH Guidelines are 
currently sent out as appendices, and so the original illustration 
will remain for the foreseeable future. The illustration will be 
re-drawn, though only after formal recodification. 
Dr. McKinney agreed with Dr. Atlas. The Subcommittee should 
indicate that the illustration was merely a typical package; 
shippers could use different materials and constructions that 
conform to the proper standards. Dr. Stevenson added that the 
Newsletter of the American Type Culture Collection and the 
Recombinant DNA Research, Volume 13 
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