8 . 
prokaryotes of human polypeptide hormones. The development of alternative prokaryote 
systems is made triply imperative by a peek at the pharmaceutical world. 
C. Physical containment levels: 
We believe that levels of physical containment are over rated on 
paper since they are all vulnerable to unavoidable and common dilenim&s-- human 
error and carelessness. In the ideal, we would much prefer to rely on a biological 
system of containment which would render all organisms in question completely 
impotent and nontransferable outside the milieu of the test tube or incubator. 
Because of our complete lack of faith in E. coJJ_ as the proper system for 
recombinant studies, we have no other choice considering the biohazards involved, 
but to rely on strict physical containment measures. We feel that these levels of 
physical containment should be, as described in the Asilomar report, greatest at 
the beginning and modified only if and when there is an actual and substantially 
documented case showing the risks in question to be minimal. Furthermore, we feel 
it is and should be the responsibility of the researcher who wishes to carry out 
these studies to provide this substantial documentation for the downgrading of any 
* •* 
hazardous or potentially hazardous work. We also feel, that 'potentially hazardous' 
until proven otherwise should be equated with 'hazardous'. 
Four levels of physical containment are presented in the 'Woods Hole 
Guidelines'. In truth, in what we know to be the everyday reality of laboratory 
science, it should be obvious that no real difference exists between the first two 
levels of containment, PI & P2. The differences between PI & P2 may be 
significant on paper, but they will not hold up in actuality for many reasons — 
apathy, pressure, sloppiness, carelessness — all human attributes. From this we 
conclude that PI & P2 should be lumped together as one category, and only accepted 
[359] 
