THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH

ANIMAL RESEARCH AND CARE

Frequently Asked Questions About Animal Research and Care at UCSF

4. What are the steps in the process for approving a research protocol involving animals?

The purpose of the IACUC is to ensure the ethical and humane use of animals in research. Any research protocol submitted to IACUC has already gone through a rigorous review process for scientific merit by the funding agencies, such as NIH or the National Science Foundation, or others.

Once scientific merit has been established, IACUC carefully evaluates the protocol.

All investigators who propose to conduct research involving animals must first submit a protocol that follows guidelines set forth by the U.S Public Health Service Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, the National Research Council’s Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and the USDA Animal Welfare Act.

Each protocol receives a rigorous evaluation initially by two members of IACUC. Each of these members then presents his/her findings which are then discussed by the committee as a whole. Because of the rigor of the reviews, only about 9-10 percent of applications are approved at the meeting during the initial review. The others require revisions or modifications.

IACUC reviews the proposed research protocol to ensure that the use of animals is justified, that the animals will receive the highest standards of care, and that personnel are properly trained to carry out the research.

IACUC also reviews the proposed research protocol to ensure that investigators have demonstrated that they seriously considered the 3Rs: the replacement of animals with material such as tissues and cells, the reduction of the number of animals necessary to obtain information or to train future physicians and scientists, and the refinement of the study in order to maximize the comfort and welfare of the animals.

The team scrutinizes the details of the proposed study and often requires changes to ensure the 3Rs are fully implemented wherever possible.

As reviewers, the IACUC members address all issues that would affect animal welfare, including rationale for the studies. IACUC relies on federal guidelines with regard to criteria for the judicious use of animals in research.

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