The University of Alabama in Birmingham 
Department of Medicine/Division of Infectious Diseases 
205/934-5191 - 205/934-2186 
January 25, 1983 
Dr. William J. Gartland, Jr. 
Department of Health & Human Services 
Office of Recombinant DNA Activities 
National Institutes of Health 
Bethesda, MD 20205 
Dear Dr. Gartland: 
This is in response to your recent memorandum regarding the functioning of 
Biosafety Committees under current Recombinant DNA Guidelines. 
The Institutional Biosafety Committee at UAB has not experienced any difficulty 
with the revised Guidelines, and no comments have been received from our investigators 
that the Guidelines are too restrictive or cause unnecessary problems in compliance. It 
has been our practice to schedule our committee meetings as often as is necessary to 
avoid delay in the initiation of research projects. 
The Biosafety Committee at UAB was established in 1973 and, therefore, was 
involved in surveillance of infectious agent studies and review of potentially hazardous 
research activities prior to development of the Recombinant DNA Guidelines. 
Responsibilities of the Committee are clearly defined in the UAB Biosafety Manual. In 
addition to ensuring that investigators are in compliance with the Guidelines, the 
Committee reviews all research projects involving etiologic agents of Class 2 or higher, 
oncogenic viruses, hazardous biological products, or chemical carcenogens. 
Sincerely, 
C. Glenn Cobbs, M.D. 
Professor of Medicine 
Director, Division of Infectious Diseases 
Chairman, UAB Biosafety Committee 
CGC/rf/sw 
University Station / Birmingham, Alabama 35294 
An Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer 
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