Genetics Institute 
February 1, 1984 
Dr. William J. Gartland, Jr. 
Director, Office of Recombinant DNA Activities 
Building 31, 3B10 
National Institutes of Health 
Bethesda, MA 20205 
Dear Dr. Gartland: 
As a member company of the Industrial Biotechnology Association we 
realize that comments pertaining to the four questions posed by Dr. 
Talbert have been submitted on our behalf by the association. As an 
independent biotechnology firm, we would like to not only lend our 
full support to the IB A comments, but also independently urge the 
continuation of NIH's and RAC's role of reviewing the many develop- 
ing phases of rDNA science and its applications. 
We believe that NIH and RAC have played a major role in the orderly 
and safe development of our rapidly changing technology. By doing 
so it has not only been able to accomplish one of its major goals of 
staying abreast of the technology, but it also helped to increase 
public confidence in biotechnology research and development. If NIH 
and RAC were to abandon its role, an appropriate rate of technologi- 
cal development, NIH's understanding of the technology and public 
confidence would all suffer. 
Therefore, we strongly recommend that RAC should answer in the 
negative each of the four questions posed by Dr. Talbert. 
Sincerely , 
Gabriel Schmergel 
President 
GS/mbe 
cc: Harvey Price, Esq. 
225 Longwood Avenue 
Boston, MA 02115 
Telephone: 617-232-6886 
[ 640 ] 
