8/April/85
Dear Max:
Thanks for your letter and preprints.  At the moment, it seems likely I will be here on June 3. Perhaps you could call when the time is nearer.
I would certainly be receptive to a proposal for names for the other primate viruses you have mentioned.  I don't see why our subcommittee couldn't vote on that as well.  You might want to consider delaying an assignment of a name to the Macaque AIDS virus.  I find MTLV-III strange for several reasons, not the least of which is the absence of I and II.  Why not just call it "Macaque AIDS Virus" for the moment?
As for the Haseltine proposal, I would suggest that you solicit it for our deliberation if you think it is worthwhile.  I'd have to say that a priori the idea of using a mechanistic device as a basis of nomenclature is less than appealing.  Just consider what the extensions of that policy would do!
Best regards,
Harold E. Varmus, M.D.
American Cancer Society
Professor of Molecular Virology