College of Physicians & Surgeons of Columbia University 
Cell Chemistry Laboratory 
The Roosevelt Hospital 
428 West 59th Street 
New York, New York 10019 
(212) 554-6635 
Dr. Donald S. Fredrickson 
director 
National Institutes of Health 
Bethesda, Maryland 20014 
Dear Doctor Fredrickson: 
Your letter of January 29, signed by Dr. Charles R. 
McCarthy, concerning the meeting of the Advisory Committee 
on February 9-10, reached me only today; too late, unfor- 
tunately, for me to arrange to be in Washington at that 
time. In any event, it is not quite clear to me why this 
letter was sent to me, unless I am meant to make a brief 
statement as a "member of the public." I am both more and 
less than that: less, because I represent no lobby or com- 
mon interest group, nor have I been elected to represent 
any segment of the public; more, since I am one of the 
early workers on DNA, a member of the National Academy, 
and a recent recipient of the National Medal of Science. 
I have alluded only once in print to the dismal prob- 
lem of DNA recombination experiments, and I take the lib- 
erty of enclosing a reprint of a recent article of mine in 
which I have marked the passage in question. 
Beyond that I can only express my strong dismay about 
the whole problem, as it has been formulated, restricted, 
expanded, and drowned in a verbiage of silly claims and 
counterclaims. If I were asked what solution I suggest, 
it would be that there should be a complete stop on all 
forms of experimentation with artificially produced DNA 
recombinants that could in any way represent a potential 
danger to animal or plant life. Such a prohibition would 
have to have the sanction of the international bodies re- 
presenting the biological and exact sciences, such as IUB 
or IUPAC. As far as this country goes, such a prohibition 
— perhaps limited to a period of, say, two years, to per- 
mit a cooling off, accompanied by discussion and reflec- 
tion -- would presumably require congressional action. 
Received 2/9/76 
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