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  • Correspondence
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Veterinary Verification and Consultation: implementation of OLAW guidance on significant changes

Lab Animal volume 46, pages 63–65 (2017)Cite this article

To the Editor:

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is required by the Animal Welfare Regulations1 and PHS Policy2 to review and approve procedures on animals prior to initiating the experiments. This not only includes new protocols, but also significant changes to an already approved protocol prior to implementing the change. This requirement can create challenges in the research environment given the fluidity of research with animals, and often creates a rigid structure for investigators to follow, which may impede experimental studies. Additionally, when deviations from the approved protocol occur, non-compliance is a common outcome. Understanding the nature of animal based research, the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) issued NOT-OD-14-126: Guidance on Significant Changes to Animal Activities (Guidance)3. According to PHS Policy, one of the functions of the IACUC is to “review proposed significant changes regarding the use of animals in ongoing activities. In order to approve proposed research projects or proposed significant changes in ongoing research projects, the IACUC shall conduct a review of those components related to the care and use of animals and determine that the proposed research projects are in accordance with the PHS Policy.” There is a similar requirement outlined in the Animal Welfare Regulations, 9 CFR 2.31 (d)(1)(i)-(iv).

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References

  1. Animal Welfare Act regulations. 9 CFR. Chapter I, Subchapter A, Part 2, Subpart C.

  2. Public Health Service. Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC, 1986; amended 2002).

  3. National Institutes of Health. Guidance on Significant Changes to Animal Activities. Notice NOT-OD-14-126. (National Institutes of Health, Washington, DC, 26 August 2014).

  4. Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare. Significant Changes to Animal Activities. Online Seminar. (2014).

  5. Diehl, K.H., Hull, R., Morton, D., Pfister, R., Rabemampianina, Y., Smith, D., Vidal, J.M., van de Vorstenbosch, C. A good practice guide to the administration of substances and removal of blood, including routes and volumes. J. Appl. Toxicol. 21, 15–23 (2001).

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  6. American Veterinary Medical Association. AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals: 2013 Edition. (American Veterinary Medical Association, Schaumburg, IL, 2013).

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Acknowledgements

Portions of the information discussed above were also presented in an OLAW Webinar on September 8, 2016, which can be accessed online at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/educational_resources/webinar_09082016.htm. We would like to thank the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare for their thoughtful review of this Correspondence.

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  1. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

    Lon V. Kendall, Elaine K. Kim, James R. Owiny & Jessica D. Ayers

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  1. Lon V. Kendall
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  2. Elaine K. Kim
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  3. James R. Owiny
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  4. Jessica D. Ayers
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Correspondence to Lon V. Kendall.

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Kendall, L., Kim, E., Owiny, J. et al. Veterinary Verification and Consultation: implementation of OLAW guidance on significant changes. Lab Anim 46, 63–65 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban.1201

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