INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES AND EDUCATIONAL-PROGRAMS - ANIMALS IN RESEARCH

Biomedical research facilities, including academic and industrial settings, need to have established internal and external policies regarding the humane care and use of animals in pharmacologic and toxicologic experimental protocols. Compliance with regulatory and accrediting agencies (e.g., Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, American Association for the Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care) requires institutional support and necessitates recruiting and retaining a quality veterinarian staff. Resources must be available to maintain vivarium physical facilities, including experimental surgery suites, and to provide an acceptable program in occupational health to protect against zoonotic diseases. Through the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), educational programs, compliance issues, and institutional security measures can be effectively implemented. A close communication liaison must be established between the IACUC, the veterinary staff, institutional public relations, security and the individual investigator. A coordinated policy with both internal and external components is necessary in order to satisfactorily manage the use of animals in toxicologic research.