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point of give the worriers the benefit of the doubt too far. It seems to 
me that it is possible to be an excessive obsessive worrier. We all know 
anxious people, people that are too anxious. In this case, I think the 
guidelines are suitably worried, if you will, suitably give benefit to the 
possible harms, and in that sense I am rather happy with them. 
DR. FREDRICKSON: When I think of your remarks and Dr. Koshland's I am 
reminded of a statement of Alfred North Whitehead that style is the ultimate 
morality. You have referred to image, and perhaps in this case that is 
somewhat applicable, but I think we will probably not depend upon that alone 
as far as making a basis for morality. 
Dr. Kelly had to go, and he will send us his comments in writing. So 
that brings me to Dr. Melnick. 
DR. MELNICK: I would like to use the microphone, if I may. 
I have been concerned with procedural questions. I think we have heard 
the pros and cons of the science the last 2 days, and I think it is going to 
be up to the technical committee to develop this further. 
Because of the important but uncharted areas opened up by the recent 
developments in recombinant DNA research, the following procedures are rec- 
ommended to be administered by the office of the Director of NIH. 
The Director shall appoint a technical committee on recombinant DNA to 
be made up of 15 experts in the field. At the beginning, five will be ap- 
pointed for 1 year, five for 2 years, and five for 3 years. At the end of 
each year, five new members will be appointed for a 3-year term. The com- 
mittee will meet every 4 months. Its functions will be as follows: one, to 
review the current regulations euphemistically heretofore called guidelines, 
and to suggest modifications as new information becomes available; two to 
plan model experiments to be carried out in the appropriate NIH containment 
facilities. These experiments will be planned to yield data to determine 
the next steps that can safely be taken to advance our knowledge of recom- 
binant DNA. The data and their analysis shall be published as each forward 
step is taken. Three, to review recombinant DNA research grant and contract 
applications submitted to NIH and to evaluate them for scientific merit and 
for adherence to safety standards. 
The technical committee will report to a recombinant DNA advisory coun- 
cil, which serves — which will serve as a policy-making body. It receives 
reports and, after deliberation, recommends actions to the Director of NIH. 
The Director appoints the members of the council to be made up of eight 
scientists, not working directly on DNA recombinants, plus four representa- 
tives of the public at large. The eight scientists will be drawn from 
leaders in related fields of biomedical research, such as genetics, bacte- 
riology, virology, botany, infectious diseases, public health, et cetera. 
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