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A Newsletter Exploring
Biomedical Research Issues For Middle & High School Educators
Vol. 1, Issue 8, Fall 2005

We Want to Hear From You!

We want to include your stories, comments, or questions relating to animals in your classroom in upcoming editions of BioFocus. Please email stories to mismr@umich.edu.

Introducing the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

By Astrid E. Haakonstad, B.A.
University of Michigan,
University Committee on Use and Care of Animals (UCUCA)

Many research institutions and universities use animals in biomedical research, testing, and teaching. People often express concern for the welfare of these animals; they love animals and don't want to see them in pain or distress. Rest assured that the investigators and the research staff members feel the same way! Each institution strives to ensure that their animals receive the best care and treatment they can get within the boundaries of their studies. But how do they do that? Who is it that ensures the animals are being humanely and responsibly used and cared for? That is where the IACUC comes in.

"IACUC" (pronounced eye-a-cook) stands for ""Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee." Most research institutions, whether a university, hospital, or private company, must appoint a Committee of volunteers to oversee all research and teaching projects that include the use of animals. Who are these Committee members? Can just anyone sit on the IACUC? Not exactly, though there must be a diverse array of members, in order to represent the common interests of scientists, non-scientists, and the general public. By law, an IACUC must include members who are:

• Practicing scientists.
• Non-scientist members who are affiliated with the institution.
• Veterinarians who specialize in laboratory animal medicine.
• Members who are not affiliated with the institution in any way.

Although serving on an IACUC is strictly a volunteer endeavor, the responsibilities placed in the hands of its members are extremely important and valuable to both the animals and the research community. Institutional policies and federal laws (such as the Animal Welfare Act) that govern the humane treatment of research animals form the backbone of IACUC work. The IACUC strives to strike a balance between promoting animal welfare and advancing scientific work. Not only is animal welfare important for the critters themselves, but also it is also necessary for the research itself. Animals that are healthy and well taken care of provide better data for the investigators, and this in turn helps the scientists to produce better results, results that will ultimately help make the world a better place for human beings and animals alike.

So, what exactly does the IACUC do? One of the main responsibilities of the Committee is to review proposals for scientific work that involves the use of animals. When a research investigator wishes to begin a new project, he or she must apply for approval from the IACUC before any animal work may begin. The investigator (often called the "principal investigator" or "PI") writes up an experimental protocol, which is a detailed description of the research project. The PI must explain exactly how the results of the project will benefit society and justify why animals must be used as opposed to an alternative method of study. The PI must then identify what species of animal will be studied, exactly how many animals will be needed to perform the experiments, and exactly what procedures will be performed on the animals. The IACUC reviews this protocol to make sure the study complies with laboratory animal welfare rules and regulations and to make sure the animals are treated humanely and used judiciously.

Another way that the IACUC ensures the welfare of research animals is through laboratory and facility inspections. The IACUC conducts both scheduled and unscheduled visits to laboratories and animal housing areas in order to make sure that the facilities are in compliance with federal and institutional laws and regulations, and that the PI and his or her research staff are following the procedures described in their protocol. The IACUC also makes sure that the animals are housed properly and that they are receiving adequate veterinary care. The main purpose of an inspection is not to "police" the investigators; rather, it is to make sure the animals receive the treatment they require and deserve, and to help the PI and his or her staff with solving any problems they may run into concerning their animals.

For more information about laboratory animal laws and regulations, please visit the following sites:

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Regulations:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ac/publications.html

Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW):
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/olaw.htm

Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, International (AAALAC, Intl.):
http://www.aaalac.org/

You may download a PDF format of the actual newsletter.