In 1979, early concern over the dangers of recombinant DNA has waned and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines were relaxed.

Following two scientific conferences at Asilomar, California in 1973, the National Institutes of Health moved quickly to create the Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RAC). For approximately 38 years the RAC has served as an open forum for review of various recombinant DNA experiments, and for the last 23 years it has played a pivotal role in the oversight of human gene therapy.   The NIH Guidelines were first published in the Federal Register on June 23, 1976.

The RAC’s existence obviated the need for more restrictive governmental legislation and has supported the development of genetic interventions that are leading to actual human therapies.