Which committee reviews all protocols involving animals and oversees the animal care program?

Which committee reviews all protocols involving animals and oversees the animal care program?

• A. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
• B. Institutional Review Board
• C. Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare
• D. Animal Welfare Assurance Committee

Answer: (A)

The oversight of animal use in research is provided by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. This group reviews every protocol involving animals to ensure the work is justified, that alternatives have been considered, and that procedures minimize pain and distress. It also oversees the entire animal care program—staff training, veterinary care, housing, and facility conditions—and conducts ongoing oversight through approvals, annual reviews, and periodic inspections. The Institutional Review Board handles studies with human subjects, not animals. The Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare monitors compliance with federal policies and can conduct oversight, but the day-to-day protocol review is carried out by the IACUC. The term Animal Welfare Assurance Committee isn’t a standard designation in this framework.

The oversight of animal use in research is provided by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. This group reviews every protocol involving animals to ensure the work is justified, that alternatives have been considered, and that procedures minimize pain and distress. It also oversees the entire animal care program—staff training, veterinary care, housing, and facility conditions—and conducts ongoing oversight through approvals, annual reviews, and periodic inspections.

The Institutional Review Board handles studies with human subjects, not animals. The Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare monitors compliance with federal policies and can conduct oversight, but the day-to-day protocol review is carried out by the IACUC. The term Animal Welfare Assurance Committee isn’t a standard designation in this framework.