27 
awareness and the sense of responsibility of the bulk, of today s practicing 
scientists . 
The initial report to the National Academy of Sciences and the follow- 
up report of the views of the Asilomar conference were intended to provide 
informed opinion as to the risks of such research, and advice on the most 
reasonable course of action. Everything took place in the open, with ex- 
tensive public overview. That advice has now been reviewed and its prin- 
ciples accepted in the guidelines which have been developed by the NIH 
committee, or I should say the national committee, and have been used as 
the basis of recommendations that are now being considered by the Director 
and at this meeting. 
I believe that they represent a responsible and prudent first step 
to dealing with this problem. I stress first step because only further 
experimentation accompanied by vigilance will tell us how to proceed to 
the next step. 
My own personal view is that the guidelines are stricter than they 
need be on the basis of scientific evidence alone, but I and many of the 
scientific community are prepared to accept them as the price for exploit- 
ing this powerful new tool of biomedical research. 
Thank you. 
DR. FREDRICKSON: Thank you very much, Dr. Berg. In keeping with my 
policy stated earlier that we would like to get these scientific details 
out for the record, before we have any questioning, I am going to suggest 
that we proceed directly, at this point, to a brief report from Dr. Stetten 
concerning the developments after Asilomar, with particular reference to 
the NIH committee. 
I will again remind you that you will have opportunity to discuss with 
Dr. Berg this presentation at the appropriate time, later in the day. 
DR. STETTEN: In response to the letter alluded to, signed by Dr. Berg 
and others, in October of 1974 a standing committee of the National Insti- 
tutes of Health was authorized and I was invited to be its chairman. 
The first meeting of this committee occurred on the day after the 
Asilomar conference. It has met four times in all, first in February of 
1975. Again in May, it met in Bethesda. In July it met at Woods Hole, and 
finally, in December it met at La Jolla. The committee, originally author- 
ized at a strength of 12, has since been expanded to a strength of 16. 
There are 14 members at this time. 
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