10 
2. The European Molecular Biology Organization Standing 
Advisory Committee on Recombinant DNA recently announced 
plans for a voluntary registry for recombinant DNA 
research in Europe. How would you view our recommending 
that the NIH maintain a voluntary registry of investigators 
and their institutions engaged in such research in this 
country? 
C. Application of Guidelines beyond the NIH 
Special concern has been expressed by many commentators 
regarding the application of the guidelines to research 
conducted or supported outside the NIH and its grantees 
or contractors. It has been urged that the guidelines 
be made applicable to other agencies in the Department of 
Health, Education, and Welfare, to the National Science 
Foundation, and to research conducted by the Department of 
Defense and other governmental departments. Other commentators 
urged guidelines for research in the private sector, including 
industry, voluntary organizations, and foundations. Others 
expressed concern that experiments conducted in colleges, 
universities, and, .indeed, even in high schools, required 
some form of monitoring. And, finally, all agreed that 
in view of the potential hazards of DNA recombinant 
research to the biosphere, some form of international 
understanding on guidelines for the research was essential. 
The committee, in the proposed guidelines, has suggested one 
means of control by recommending in the publication of 
research results a description of the physical and biological 
containment procedures practiced. We will undertake to 
present this recommendation to the editors of all appropriate 
journals. We are also prepared to take steps to disseminate 
news of the guidelines widely, to make them available to 
all who are interested, and to arrange for continued flow 
of information outward concerning the activities of your 
committee, the evolution of the guidelines, etc. 
Specifically, would you please give me your opinion on 
whether industry, agriculture, and defense communities could 
and should form their own committees analogous to yours for 
guiding work in those sectors. (It has been envisioned 
that the NIH committee could function for NSF grants as 
well, if this is desired by that agency.) 
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