Bacterial Physiology Unit,
Harvard Medical School,
Boston, MA 02115

May 25, 1987.

Dr. Joshua Lederberg,
Rockefeller University,
New York, NY.

Dear Josh,

As I mentioned on the phone, the draft of the OTA report on Gen. Eng.
Organisms in the Environment seems to me to be virtually a manifesto by a
group of ecologists, deeply suspicious of engineered bacteria; and I am
enclosing a copy of my strongly critical comment. The question is how the OTA
managed to set up such an unbalanced group, which seems quite out of keeping
with previous OTA reports. Since I have been told that the person in charge
of the study group is an ecologist I have little confidence that my letter
will do any good unless it reaches higher levels in the OTA.

The matter seems to me quite serious, and so I have thought of sending a copy
of my letter to the head of the OTA, suggesting that he might wish to look
into the matter. But I do not know him, and I wondered whether you would be
interested in forwarding a copy with a covering note You might feel that you
have to look at the report, but the quotations in my letter may be sufficient
to show that there is a problem.

With best regards,

Sincerely,

ove

Bernard D. Davis
ine

+ DV rethy ron Phe eal ond aeteert Teal

"Kee falaen ane pant al Woes detoumeen .

Nea Set ofyfor.