The National Institutes of Health publishes a document called The NIH Guidelines for Recombinant DNA and Gene transfer.

The guideline is locally translated into ordinance and an enforcing body is set up. In the case of Cambridge, MA that authority is the Cambridge Biosafety Committee. Their page is informative.

It seems experimenting with recombinant DNA may involve a procedure of applications, permits and fees. I haven't had time to try to understand exactly what requires permits, what the exceptions are and how difficult the permits are for a DIY:er to obtain.

I need to check how it works here(in the EU). It should work more or less along the same lines.

That's all

-Splicer

This is a good find you posted. Never heard of the Federal Register. I've been lightly skimming over this for a few days now. What I've seen seems pretty practical. On the first look it seems that more of the regulations are towards NIH funded research and recombinant DNA with humans/animals (but Ive only glanced through 3 sections).

I was pleasantly surprised also. I wonder how OpenWetWare fits into this. They probably have some NIH funding somewhere. Still haven't had time to read through it thoroughly.

-Splicer