Institutional Animal Care And Use Committee Guidebook

Covers the the ethical and sensitive care and use of animals in research. Includes: minimization of pain, surgery, euthanasia, hazardous materials, death, etc. Also, recordkeeping and reporting, evaluation of animal welfare concerns, oversight of animal care and use programs, and special considerations. Resources, references, acronyms, sample forms, and more.

Ever since its establishment by USDA regulation in the mid-1980s, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) has evolved as the premier instrument of animal welfare oversight within research institutions in the United States. As biomedical research continuously grows, the role and impact of the IACUC has increased in scope and complexity. The IACUC Handbook has become "the Bible" for individuals when the time comes for them to serve on their institution’s IACUC. It provides a foundation for understanding and implementing the many and varied responsibilities of this committee. This Third Edition comprehensively addresses the significant changes in the pertinent regulatory environment and interpretation of applicable federal laws, regulations, and policies. It provides multiple references and commentary on the new edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, the new AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals: 2013 Edition, and the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare’s Frequently Asked Questions. The Third Edition also features an updated survey of IACUC practices from institutions around the United States, offering wisdom gained from their experience. In addition, it includes a chapter that provides an international perspective on how animal welfare reviews can function in other countries.

Maintaining its user-friendly approach, The Care and Feeding of an IACUC: The Organization and Management of an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, Second Edition is a handy guide for members of the laboratory animal community looking for a concise, descriptive introduction to what an IACUC is all about and how it operates. The book covers

The framers of the 1985 amendments to the Federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) envisioned the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) as the linchpin--the central and cohesive element--of the laboratory animal care and use program at research, education, and testing organizations. Effective operation of this committee is essential if these organizations are to achieve full regulatory compliance, and, more importantly, retain the public's support for activities involving the use of animal subjects. In 1987, the Scientists Center for Animal Welfare, in cooperation with the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, published a compilation of presentations made at five regional workshops on effective operation of IACUCs. In the decade since this compilation was published, nearly all of the 18 consensus recommendations developed by the workshop participants and the Center's Board of Trustees have either been incorporated into the AWA regulations or have been voluntarily adopted by institutions using animals subjects. The Care and Feeding of an IACUC: The Organization and Management of an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee superbly illustrates the progress and advances the animal-using communities have made in implementing these and other improvements in their animal care and use programs. The highly qualified contributors provide twelve information-packed chapters and ten appendices that provide IACUC chairs and members with an indispensable reference. This book summarizes information critical to the effective and efficient management and operation of an IACUC, and, as such, should be made available to IACUC members and administrative officials in every institution using laboratory animals.