Selected newspaper clippings following press conference 
WASHINGTON STAR 
Washington, D.C., 6/23/76 
;<iH Issues Gi..__«nes 
For Genetic Research 
ARKANSAS GAZETTE 
Little Rock, Ark., 6/24/76 
By Cristine Russell 
Wufcaigtoe Star Sufi wncef 
The National Institutes of 
Health director today is- 
sued new gui^lines to 
strengthen safeguards on 
Genetic research of the sort 
ihaT could 'create novel 
forms of life with potential- 
ly disastrous consequences. 
Taking into account the 
"concerns of those who 
urge that this research pro- 
ceed because of the benefits 
and of those who urge cau- 
tion because of potential 
hazards.'' the NIH director. 
Dr. Donald S. Fredrickson 
issued guidelines which he 
said would "allow the re- 
search to go forward in a 
manner responsive and 
appropriate to hazards that 
may &e realized in the fu- 
ture.” 
The guidelines establish- 
ed "carefully controlled 
conditions” for conducting 
specific genetic research 
which would provide an 
even "greater degree of 
scrutiny and protection” 
than general measures 
earlier recommended by an 
international gathering of 
scientific experts. 
The guidelines would 
continue a prohibition on 
experiments considered too 
dangerous to be carried out 
at this time and would im- 
pose various combinations 
of physical and biological 
containment to provide 
maximum experimental 
safety. 
THE RESEARCH in ' 
question technically known 
as "recombinant DNA re- 
search" involves cutting 
and sbcing pieces of genet- 
ic material from different 
organisms and inserting 
the new combination into 
bacterial cells. 
Potential benefits from 
such scientific tampering 
include revolutionary ad- 
vances in understanding 
disease processes and. ulti- 
mately. practical boosts to 
medicine and agriculture. 
But treading into the un- 
known also carries specula- 
tive risks that harmful 
micro-organisms carrying 
pathogenic or cancer-caus- 
ing genes or increased drug 
resistance to antibiotic 
drugs may possibly be 
created 
Fredrickson's ong 
awaited announceme.v. fol- 
lows a period of unprece- 
dented self-restraint since 
scientists themselves called 
attention to potential haz- 
ards in their research three 
years ago 
SCIENTISTS FROM 
around the world met in 
Asilomar. Calif.. 16 months 
ago to draw up general 
gc-netic research safety 
guidelines. Since then, 
pending a more explicit 
directive from the NIH. 
major source of federal bio- 
medical research support. 
U.S. recombinant DNA re- 
search has slowed to a 
snail's pace, except in that 
involving minimal risk 
With today's announce- 
ment. the research pace is 
expected to pick up. but de- 
bate about tne nature of the 
risks involved in conducting 
this controversial research 
— and the degree of protec- 
tion the guidelines provide 
— is likely to continue. 
Tonight the Cambridge 
City Council will hold a 
hearing to consider the 
potential hazards of Har- 
vard University's planned 
construction of a special 
containment laboratory for 
conducting such research. 
Cambridge Mayor Alfred 
E. Zeliucci has already ex- 
pressed his reservations, 
saying. "We may make a 
creature that slips beyond 
control and turns around to 
destroy the creator. 
NIH WILL SEND two 
representatives to Cam- 
bridge to hand-carry copies 
of tne new guidelines and 
explain them to the evening 
gathering. 
Dr. Maxine Singer, one of 
the envoys, said yesterday 
she is firmly convinced the 
guidelines "offer a high de- 
gree of protection. 
Dr Dewitt Stetten. NIH's 
deputy director for science, 
who has carefully shep- 
herded the recombinant 
DNA review, emphasized in 
an interview that the new 
guidelines are "far more 
specific and far more strin- 
gent" than the guidelines 
first outlined at the Asilo- 
mar conference. 
"Any notion that we're 
opening the flood gates is 
quite wrong. In effect we re 
closing potential leaks.” he 
said. 
To allow public comment, 
the guidelines will be pub- 
lished in the Federal Regis- 
ter. and NIH has also 
undertaken an environmen- 
tal impact assessment of 
them in compliance with 
the National Environmental 
Policy Act. The document is 
expected to be completed 
by September 1. providing 
further opportunity for the 
public to participate and 
comment on the research. 
Ruleslssued 
Restricting 
DNA Research 
DULUTH HERALD 
Duluth, Minn., 6'23/76 
Gene 3 research 
rules released 
ASSOCIATED PRESS 
N080 Washington, D.C., 6/23/76 
R 
DNA GUIDELINES 
BY WARREN E. LEARY 
WASHINGTTN CA?) -- WHILE THE REAL POTENTIAL HEALTH HAZARD Or A 
CONTROVERSAL KIND OF GENETIC RESEARCH CANNOT BE DEFINED WITH PRESENT 
KNOWLEDGE. THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH SAYS 
COMPLIANCE WITH NEW GUIDELINES SHOULD GREATLY CUT THE RISKS. 
DR. DONALD S. FREDRICKSON SAID THE NIH GUIDELINES ISSUED WEDNESDAY 
FOR RECOMBINANT DNA RESEARCH "SHOULD HELP THOSE INVOLVED IN THE 
DEBATE OVER THIS TO CLARIFY THEIR ARGUMENTS." 
FREDRICKSON SAID THE "GENERALLY CONSERVATIVE GUIDELINES" WOULD BAN 
SOME POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WORK AMD SET UP MORE RIGID STANDARDS THAN 
PRESENTLY USED TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ACCIDENTS THAT COULD RELEASE 
DANGEROUS ORGANISMS INTO THE ENVIRONMENT. 
DNA -- DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID -- IS THE CHElICAL FORMING GENES, THE 
BASIC UNITS OF HEREDITY. RECOMBINANT ND A MOLECULES RESULT FROM 
RECOMBINING IN A TEST TUBE DNA FROM DIFFERENT SPECIES OF LIFE. 
BACTERIA MODIFIED WITH REC0M3INANT DNA REPRODUCE AND HAVE OFFSPRING 
WITH CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OTHER SPECIES. 
SUPPORTERS SAY THE RESEARCH HAS VAST POTENTIAL FOR SCIENTIFIC 
BREAKTHROUGHS. FOR EXAMPLE, THEY SEE TURNING 3 ACTERIA INTO LITTLE 
FACTORIES PRODUCING VALUABLE PROTEINS AND HORMONES, SUCH AS INSULIN 
AND BLOOD CLOTTING FACTOR. 
CRITICS SAY THE RESEARCH CAN CREATE SUPER DISEASE ORGANISMS MOT 
FOIND IN NATURE THAT ARE IMMUNE TO ALL KNOW DEFUSES AND TREATMENTS. 
THE NEW GUIDELINES BAN RESEARCH COMBINING GENES FROM CERTAIN RISKY 
DISEASE ORGANISMS INTO OTHERS AND PROHIBIT TRANSFERRING DRUG-RESISTANT 
TRAITS TO MICROORGANISMS THAT COULD COMPROMISE USE OF A DRUG IN 
CONTROLING DISEASE. 
THE GUIDELINES GO INTO GREAT DETAIL DESCRIBING FOUR CLASSES OF 
LABORATORIES IN WHICH THE RESEARCH CAN BE DONE. 
DEPENDING UPON TH£ GENETIC MATERIAL USED AND THE EXPERIMENTAL 
OBJECTIVES, THE LABORATORIES CAN RANGE FROM ONES SIMILAR TO COMMON 
COLLEGE LABS TO OTHERS UITH ELABORATE SYSTEMS OF AIRLOCKS AND FILTERS 
RESEMLING SPACE CAPSULES. 
FREDRICKSON SAID THE GUIDELINES ARE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AT NIH 
LABORATORIES AND THOSE OF ITS CONTRACTORS AMD GRANTEES. NIH CURRENTLY 
SUPPORTS ABOUT $4 MILLION WORTH OF THIS RESEARCH, HE ADDED. 
THE GUIDELINES ARE NOT MANDATORY FOR RESEARCH OUTSIDE NIH, BUT 
FREDIRKSON SAID IT IS HOPED ALL DOING THIS TYPE OF WORK, INCLUDING 
PRIVATE INDUSTRY, WILL COMPLY VOLUNTARILY. 
INTERNATIONAL HEALTH AND SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN AWAITING 
THE GUIDELINES, SAID NIH OFFICIALS, AND SEVERAL INDICATE THEY PLAN TO 
ADOPT THEM IN OTHER COUNTRIES. 
THE GUIDELINES REPLACE INFORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS DRAWN UP LAST YEAR 
BY AN INTEBNAT ION AL GfJDUP OF SCIENTISTS ON HOW TO CONDUCT THE RESEARCH 
AND ON WHAT WORK SHOULD NOT TAKE PLACE. FREDRICKSON SAID MOST 
SCIENTISTS WELCOMED THE GUIDELINES. 
"THE GREATEST FEAR OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY IS THAT THERE IS 
TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL POWER IN THIS TECHNIQUE AND THEY WANT TO BE VERY 
CONSERVATIVE ABOUT USING IT," HE SAID. 
00-00-0 0 00: 22EDT 
BEE 
Modesto, Calif. , 6/24/76 
Guidelines for genetic research 
[ 574 ] 
