Chapter 3 - The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

Abstract

The institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) is a federally mandated committee established in institutions that receive federal funding for research, testing, or teaching using live animals. The IACUC represents its institution's animal care and use program to the federal government, assures compliance with federal regulations governing animal use, and helps to assure the welfare of research animals. The regulations followed by the IACUC emanate from the Animal Welfare Act and the Health Research Extension Act of 1985. The IACUC must approve animal use procedures before a study begins or before a change is made to an already approved study. Noncompliance with regulatory requirements can occur from a lack of adequate training, unrealistic expectations placed on investigators or educators, cultural misunderstandings, inadequate study monitoring, or from an institutional culture that does not support compliance. Compliance can be strengthened by adequate training of all animal users, adequately monitoring ongoing studies, establishing clear and simple guidelines for compliance (such as no research or teaching that uses live animals can be performed without prior IACUC approval), and promoting an organizational culture supporting compliance. The IACUC has the authority to investigate allegations of noncompliance and, if necessary, the committee can suspend an ongoing animal activity.