and Use of Research Animals
The intent of this procedure is to describe the educational program for the care and use of research animals.This procedure is approved by the Cornell Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and the CornellCenter for Animal Resources and Education (CARE). Any deviation from these recommendations should be approved by the IACUC.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Introduction
- Registration to the Program
- Principal Investigators, Graduate Students and Research Staff
- IACUC Members
- Undergraduate and Post Graduate Students
- Animal Care Staff (including undergraduate or graduate students performing animal care duties)
- Maintenance and Custodial Workers and all Visitors including
Non-Affiliated IACUC Members
- Occupational Health and Safety Issues
- Recertification
- Documentation and Follow-Up
1)Introduction:
a)Both Public Health Service (PHS) policy and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal Welfare Act Regulations and Standardsstipulate that personnel must be trained so that they are qualified to perform research on animals. The institution is given the responsibility for providing training, and as the self-regulating unit of the institution for animal research, the IACUC must ensure that personnel are qualified to perform the procedures proposed in animals as part of the review process.
b)The USDA Animal Welfare Act Regulations and PHS Policy require an institution to cover a number of specific topics as part of its training program. The Cornell Educational Program for the Care and Use of Research Animals must satisfy these USDA and PHS training requirements:
i)Humane methods of animal maintenance and experimentation, including:
(1)the basic needs of each species of animal
(2)proper handling and care for the various species of animals used by the facility
(3)proper pre-procedural and post-procedural care of animals
(4)aseptic surgical methods and procedures
ii)The concept, availability, and use of research or testing methods that limit the use of animals or minimize animal distress;
iii)Proper use of anesthetics, analgesics, and tranquilizers for any species of animals used by the facility;
iv)Methods whereby deficiencies in animal care and treatment are reported, including deficiencies in animal care and treatment reported by any employee of the facility. No facility employee, Committee member, or laboratory personnel shall be discriminated against or be subject to any reprisal for reporting violations of any regulation or standards under the Act; and
v)Utilization of services (e.g., National Agricultural Library, National Library of Medicine) available to provide information:
(1)on appropriate methods of animal care and use
(2)on alternatives to the use of live animals in research
(3)that could prevent unintended and unnecessary duplication of research involving animals
(4)regarding the intent and requirements of the Act
c)The IACUC has the responsibility to enforce the training program, and to ensure its compliance with regulations by an annual review. CARE is responsible for the management of the program.
2)Registration to the Program
a)The following people must registerwith the Educational Program for the Care and Use of Research Animals by contacting the IACUC (253-3516 ):
i)Any person using animals in a research or teaching project
ii)IACUC members
iii)Animal care staff
iv)Maintenance and custodial workers covering animal facilities
b)Registrants will need to fill out the Registration Form.
c)Based on an initial evaluation, the required training is provided by a series of theoretical and practical modules. To be recognized, past experience and training must be documented and assessed by a CARE veterinarian.
3)Principal Investigators, Graduate Students and Research Staff
a)The animal experimentation shall not be started prior to completion of the first theoretical module. The animal user will have three months to complete the rest of the program. In the mean time, the new animal user is allowed to work with animals, under the direct supervision of a trained person.
b)Temporary animal users (like invited researchers) need to complete only the theoretical module, if they stay at Cornell less than 3 months AND if they work under the direct supervision of a trained person.
c)The Training Program Certification is valid for 5 years.
4)IACUC Members
a)IACUC members must complete Module 1 “Introduction to the Care and Use of Research Animals” and any other relevant module.
b)IACUC members are provided a copy of the following;
i)Animal Welfare Act (1966)
ii)Animal Welfare Act Regulations (9 CFR, Chapter 1, Subchapter A) (1995)
iii)Health Research Extension Act of 1985, Public Law 99-158
iv)United States Government Principles
v)Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching (1999)
vi)Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (National Research Council, 1996)
vii)Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee Guidebook, 2nd edition, (Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, National Institute of Health, 2002)
viii)2000 Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
ix)The IACUC Handbook, ed. Silverman, Suckow, and Murthy. CRC Press, New York, 2000.
x)SOP on Protocol Review
c)For new IACUC members an individual meeting is scheduled with the IACUC Chair and the Attending Veterinarian.
d)Members are expected to attend IACUC 101 sponsored by Applied Research Ethics National Association, NIH Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare.
5)Undergraduate and Post Graduate Students
At the beginning of a course involving the use of animals, a short introduction to the care and use of research animals is provided by a CARE veterinarian, in conjunction with the Biosafety Officer. In cases where this is not possible, a syllabus to be followed by the course professor is provided. This introduction addresses:
a)The review and approval by the IACUC, of the procedures to be conducted on the animals
b)The regulations that apply to animals used in research and teaching
c)The role of the IACUC
d)Occupational Health and Safety:
i)Information about Cornell’s Animal User Health and Safety Program (AUHSP)
ii)Physical, chemical and protocol related hazards
iii)Allergens
iv)Zoonoses
e)Mechanism to direct concerns on the care and use of animals
6)Animal Care Staff (including undergraduate or graduate students performing animal care duties)
a)Animal care personnel have 3 months to complete the theoretical module. In the meantime they are allowed to work with animals following a formal and documented training under the responsibility of a trained supervisor.
b)This local training must be described in a SOP, approved by the IACUC.
7)Maintenance and Custodial Workers and all Visitors Including Non-Affiliated IACUC Members
a)The manager of the facility is responsible to meet with maintenance and custodial workers and provide them necessary information on circulation of people and equipment, personal protective equipment, and any other issue of importance for these workers.
b)This training must be documented and a copy of the record must be sent to the CARE training coordinator at .
c)Untrained workers must always be accompanied by an animal facility employee.
8)Occupational Health and Safety Issues
a)While completing the Registration Form, participants are asked to indicate if hazardous agents are involved in their experimentation.
b)The training coordinator assigns the participant in contact with hazards to specific training (biohazards, chemicals, radioactive substances, etc.).
c)These specific trainings are offered in collaboration with the department of Environmental Health and Safety.
d)The training coordinator documents the completion of this training.
9)Recertification
The Educational Program Certification is valid for 5 years, but opportunities for continuing education must be provided on a yearly basis.
10)Documentation and Follow-up
a)Records are kept by the Training Coordinator to document each steps of the participant individualized program such as registration to the program, modules assigned and modules completed.
b)Records are kept by the supervisors on local training and continuing education.
c)CARE will follow up each participant to help them complete their tracking program within 3 months. Once the program is completed, CARE will notify the IACUC. If the program is not completed, CARE will notify the IACUC who will contact the participant and take appropriate actions.
Written by/date: / Effective date: / Modification date: / Revision date: / Policy:Jim Gourdon
Dec. 3, 2002
Feb. 12, 2003 / Feb. 20, 2003 / Aug. 21, 2003 / IACUC002.02