Letter to editors of scientific journals 
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION. AND WELFARE 
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE 
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 
BETHESDA. MARYLAND 20014 
July 1, 1976 
Enclosed is a copy of the National Institutes of Health guidelines on 
recombinant DNA research and the decision paper that accompanies them. 
These guidelines will govern research at laboratories of NIH and at 
those of its grantees and contractors. 
NIH has also undertaken an "environmental impact assessment," in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The 
purpose of this assessment is to review the environmental effects, if 
any, of research that may be conducted under the guidelines. 
The NIH guidelines establish carefully controlled conditions for the 
conduct of experiments involving the production of recombinant DNA 
molecules and their insertion into organisms such as bacteria. These 
guidelines replace the recommendations contained in the 1975 Summary 
Statement of the Asilomar Conference on Recombinant DNA Molecules . 
The latter would have permitted research under less strict conditions. 
Within the month, NIH will have in press a public record containing the 
NIH guidelines, a report on my decision to release them, the full 
transcript of a public hearing held at NIH on February 9-10, the state- 
ments filed by public and scientific witnesses at that hearing, and the 
correspondence addressed to me on this matter. The guidelines contain 
a number of revisions based on analysis of this public record. The 
report on my decision to release the guidelines examines each of the 
substantive issues presented and explains these revisions. On the basis 
of continuing discussions with other organizations that are conducting, 
monitoring, or supporting recombinant DNA research, we believe these 
guidelines will be adopted by other laboratories throughout the United 
States and will provide a basis for development of similar guidelines in 
foreign countries. 
Dear 
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