Consensus from Controversy: Cambridge's Biosafety Ordinance and the Anchoring of the Biotech Industry

This paper provides an interpretative history of the early genesis of biotechnology in Cambridge and attempts to reconcile how the 1976 adoption of the most restrictive biosafety ordinance in the US created an unexpected business friendly environment that subsequently anchored the industry. The regulation was motivated by community concerns about the environmental effects of recombinant DNA and ignited a lively debate, characterized by an open process with activities to inform and involve citizens in decision-making.