THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

725 N. WOLFE STREET
DEPARTMENT OF MICROBIOLOGY BALTIMORE, WMARYLAND 21205

February 14, 1978

Dr. Paul Berg

Department of Biochemistry
Stanford University Medical Center
Stanford, California 94305

Dear Paul:

I agree with the proposed letter on recombinant DNA, and that it is
timely to express our views publicly. You may know that Congressmen Rogers
and Staggers have drafted a new bill, the elements of which are described
in the enclosed summary by Burke Zimmerman. During a discussion of the
summary yesterday at the AAAS meeting, it became clear that opinion in the

_ government is divided on the desirability and feasibility of using the
Public Health Service Act to regulate recombinant DNA research.

There are two parts of the proposed letter I want to question:

1) On page 2, second paragraph, I don't know what you have in mind
as a "radical alteration" of our views on gene function in disease resulting
from recombinant DNA research. Also, has the somatostatin gene been isolated?

2) On page 3, last paragraph. I think it would be better to omit
reference to public anxiety and say after " ... Service Act", "to ensure that
recombinant DNA research is carried out safely."

As you probably know, John Morrow will be coming here this summer, and
of course I'm very pleased about his decision.

With best regards,

Sincerely,

Daniel Nathans

DN/1c
Encl.