We see the system of advice and control we have proposed as providing a framework within which progress can be made in an exciting and important new field of science that offers great potential benefit. Provided that the system operates flexibly so that advice to laboratories can be made available quickly and so that there can be a rapid response to new developments (with a view for example to modification of precautions if necessary), we believe that scientists will welcome and act on authoritative guidance from the centre. We think that it may be necessary for the Government to consider the introduction of specific statutory powers to control genetic manipulation but that a decision on this should be deferred until there is experience of the operation on a voluntary basis of the system which we recommend.

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The Committee on Genetic Experimentation

A SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC UNIONS

The International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) is the successor to the first truly global association of scientists, the International Research Council, a body formed under the auspices of the Allied Powers in 1919 and with membership originally restricted to the Allied Powers, certain neutral countries and international Scientific Unions.

The unions themselves represent individual scientific disciplines - chemistry, astronomy, geography, pharmacology, etc. Their infrastructure is via the scientists of the nations in which that science is in a developed state. Adherence to the union is usually via the national academy, as in the U.S., sometimes via the national society for that discipline.

The International Research Council was dissolved in 1931, to be replaced by ICSU, an organization now open to scientists from throughout the world. The structure of ICSU, with its dual membership of national academies (or research councils) and international scientific unions is unique, and provides an effective mechanism for ensuring international cooperation in science.

Composition and Government

The ICSU of 1977 is an international non-governmental scientific organization composed of 18 autonomous international Scientific Unions and more than 60 National Members, i.e., academies of science, research councils or similar scientific institutions. The General Assembly, the highest authority of ICSU, is composed of representatives of the Scientific Unions, the National Members and the Scientific and National Associates. At its biennial meetings, the General Assembly elects officers, ratifies the nominations of the Scientific Unions to the General Committee, elects the representatives of the National Members, approves the creation or dissolution of Committees and Commissions, and determines the general policy of the Council.

The ICSU General Committee meets annually to review the international scientific scene, to study scientific problems, to encourage and coordinate cooperative activities between the Unions and other parts of the Council, and to determine priorities among the scientific activities of the Council. The General Committee consists of the Officers, a single representative from each of the Member Unions (currently 18) and representatives (currently 11) of the National Members.

The Executive Board, consisting of the President, the Vice-President, the SecretaryGeneral, the Treasurer, the Past President, and four ordinary members, directs the affairs of the Council between sessions of the General Assembly.

The Council has a Secretariat located in Paris which assists the SecretaryGeneral, and the other Officers as necessary, in the administration of the Council. [A flowsheet showing the structure of ICSU and its associated bodies is omitted here.]

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The main purpose of ICSU is "encourage international scientific activity for the benefit of mankind" (Statute 3a). The primary means by which ICSU fulfills this objective is to initiate, design and coordinate international scientific research programs, as, for example, the International Geophysical Year (IGY) and the International Biological Program (IBP). In addition, ICSU acts as a focus for the exchange of ideas, the communication of scientific information, and the development of standards in methodology, nomenclature and units. The various members of the ICSU family organize international conferences, congresses, symposia, summer schools, and meetings of experts in many parts of the world, as well as general assemblies and other meetings to decide policies and programs.

Committees and Commissions of ICSU are created to facilitate and coordinate collaborative research programs in interdisciplinary areas which are not completely under the aegis of one of the Scientific Unions, such as Antarctic, Oceanic, Space and Water Research, Problems of the Environment, etc. Activities in areas common to all the Unions, such as teaching of science, numerical data, science and technology in developing countries, etc., are also coordinated by committees.

The ICSU family issues a wide range of publications including newsletters, handbooks, proceedings of meetings, congresses and symposia, professional scientific journals, data compilations and standard references.

Finances

ICSU itself operates on a current budget of about $650,000. Its member unions and commissions have an income of about $4 M.

The income to ICSU comes from its unions, who pay 2-5% of their own dues, from the national members and from cooperating organizations such as UNESCO, which makes an annual subvention, 55% of which is made over to the member unions, the remainder to ICSU's committees and commissions. It is becoming increasingly common for the intergovernmental organizations to finance targeted objectives, while the level of the general subvention decreases.

Relations with Other International Organizations

ICSU has cooperated with UNESCO since the latter's inception in 1946. UNESCO influence and the intellectual resources of the Unions have assured success in studies of numerous problems of mutual interest, such as the International Indian Ocean Expedition, Hydrological Decade, UNISTST, Geological Correlation, etc.

Cooperation also occurs with ECOSOC, WMO, FAO, WHO, IAEA and ITU, as noted in

the flowsheet.

Examples of Programs and Services

Inter-union activities of a major and long-term nature are under the control

of Scientific Committees. These are formed whenever:

1. The work of the Scientific Committee is of major interest to not less than three Scientific Unions.

2. The task of the Scientific Committee requires the formation of a strong Com

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3. The programme of the said task is of a long-term nature.

Examples of current Scientific Committees are those on :

Antartic Research (SCAR), founded by ICSU in 1958 to take advantage of the excellent international scientific cooperation that had developed during the International Geophysical Year. SCAR is in a unique position to assess the status of scientific knowledge related to practical problems referred to SCAR by the consultative meetings of the Antarctic Treaty. Matters upon which SCAR advice is sought, and for which some 20 years' accumulation of knowledge has proved invaluable, cover such problems as the disposal of nuclear waste in the ice-sheet, biological resources of the southern oceans and the likely impact on the environment of exploration of exploitation of minerals.

Space Research (COSPAR). Founded in 1958, COSPAR's membership includes 12

ICSU unions and 34 national scientific institutions.

COSPAR contributes to the development of several space-based observational systems. In particular, those in the field of meteorology and pollution monitoring have special practical benefits. Through the dissemination of information on the use of earth survey data from spacecraft, COSPAR participates in the transfer of knowledge on how these data can be used for the purpose of national development. Although it is impossible to evaluate the effects of COSPAR's activity in pecuniary terms, it is evident that coordinated actions in specific areas of research permit important savings in time and money for the scientific community. The universality of COSPAR activities contributes to the promotion of peaceful international and interdisciplinary cooperation.

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ICSU appointed an ad hoc group in 1975 to advise whether recombinant DNA research was an area in which ICSU should become involved. W.J. Whelan was the chairman and his committee's report is appended as Annex 1. There was a unanimous recommendation that ICSU establish a Scientific Committee with the objectives of serving as a source of advice to governments and non-governmental bodies alike, to review safeguards and other technical matters, to foster training and scientific exchange, to be a medium through which national, regional and other international bodies might communicate and to be vigilant regarding the possibilities of deliberate and inadvertent dispersal of agents constructed by recombinant DNA techniques.

The General Assembly of ICSU, meeting at the U.S. National Academy in October 1976, unanimously accepted this recommendation and widened the scope of the committee to include genetic experimentation in general.

The membership of COGENE has now been assembled and is as follows:

Eight members of COGENE have been appointed by seven ICSU unions and six members by the ICSU Executive Board. Four inter-governmental organizations have appointed observers.

The draft terms of reference of COGENE are appended as Annex 2. These are the terms recommended by COGENE for adoption by the General Committee at its next meeting.

COGENE held its first meeting in Paris on 20-21 May 1977. It was decided that there are three areas of recombinant DNA activities in which COGENE might immediately play a useful role. Working groups were appointed to study and advize on these topics. Their reports will form the basis of actions to be taken at the next meeting of COGENE.

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