STANFORD UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
STANFORD, CALIFORNIA 94305

DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY PAUL BERG

Jack, Lulu and Sam Willson
Professor of Biochemistry

February 6, 1978

Dear Dan,

I believe now is a particularly opportune time for us
to publish the letter stating our views regarding the need
for recombinant DNA legislation. There seems to be a lullin
the storm now and I think it would be better for us to have
our say prior to, rather than in response to, a new flareup
in the debate. Legislates and other government officials ap-
pear to be indecisive and hesitant about whether and how to
proceed with such efforts and here too our definite statement
could be pivotal.

With that in mind I have redrafted the letter from what
we had all already agreed with last fall. There have been
some changes but the message is the same: We believe we over-
estimated the risks and based on what we now know we do not
think we need any more than what we now have to ensure against
any of the conjectured risks. Hence we do not favor legisla-
tion but would rely on existing mechanisms and statutes to do
the job!

If you think a) the statement says what you believe; b)
should be made public now; please let me know by telephone.
If you have serious reservations about either say so. Basedon
your responses we can determine what to do next. I favor going
ahead as promptly as possible if we are to have any effect on
the congressional decision-making process.

Sincerely yours,

Ja

PB:a