The University of Iowa 
Iowa City, Iowa 52242 
Office of the Vice President for 
Educational Development & Research 
Division of Sponsored Programs 
100 Gilmore Hall 
(319) 353-3350 
November 18, 1982 
William J. Gartland, Jr., Ph.D. 
Director 
Office of Recombinant DNA Activities 
National Institutes of Health 
Building 31, Room 4A52 
Bethesda, Maryland 20205 
Dear Dr. Gartland: 
Your memorandum soliciting comments from IBC's was brought to the attention 
of the Biosafety Committee at the University of Iowa at its recent meeting. 
The consensus of the committee was, especially with the significant reduc- 
tion in the containment for most experiments and in the corresponding re- 
view requirements, that none of the committee activities pertaining to the 
review of research involving recombinant DNA molecules required an inordi- 
nate amount of time. The committee is very comfortable with the Guidelines 
as they are now written and is in general agreement over the necessity of 
the Guidelines. We meet approximately three times each year, usually with- 
in a month following each NIH deadline for competitive new applications. 
The University of Iowa committee is charged with responsibilities in addi- 
tion to the requirements of the Guidelines. These responsibilities in- 
clude: (a) providing consultation to the University Environmental Health 
Service and principal investigators handling biohazards; and (b) offering 
advice and recommendations to the Vice President for Educational Develop- 
ment and Research on all issues regarding biohazards. The committee has 
spent more time on matters relating to these additional responsibilities 
than on the review of recombinant DNA research. The committee, by its 
existence, has raised the level of concern for biosafety and therefore has 
made an important contribution to this university. 
I hope that you will find this information useful. 
Walter J. Hierholzer, M.D. 
Chairman 
1847 
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