[Conference Materials, Panel to Review GP-160 Vaccine Candidate (1992: Bethesda, Maryland)]

LET ME DISCUSS THE LETTER OF THIS NEW LAW.
THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT IS UNIQUE IN TWO WAYS:
FIRST, THE DIRECTIVE IS WRITTEN IN LAW -- NOT
JUST IN REPORT LANGUAGE, THUS REMOVING THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR DISCRETION ON THE PART OF THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH. AND SECOND, THE APPROPRIATION
BILL REQUIRES THAT A SPECIFIC COMMERCIAL PRODUCT
BE TESTED. THAT IS WHERE THE NIH -- WHERE ALL
OF YOU -- COME INTO PLAY.
THIS MEETING WILL INITIATE THE PROCESS BY
WHICH THE SCIENTIFIC MERITS OF GP-160 WILL BE
DETERMINED. YOUR TASK IS TO INJECT SCIENTIFIC
JUDGMENT WHERE IT WAS LACKING AND TO PROVIDE AN
OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF GP-160 AND OF ANY OTHER
CANDIDATE VACCINES. YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS WILL
PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR THE RESPONSE THAT I WILL
SUBMIT TO THE CONGRESS. I HOPE TO PRESENT YOUR
RECOMMENDATIONS -- EITHER IN INTERIM OR FINAL

6