jump to content UT Austin Revised Handbook of Operating Procedures

Part 11. Research
Section B. Research Ethics and Compliance
Policy Number 11.B.3
Date Issued: October 8, 2007
Approved By: Vice President for Research

USE OF ANIMALS IN RESEARCH AND TEACHING ACTIVITIES

Section I.    General Policy Guidelines

A. Policy Statement

It is the policy of The University of Texas at Austin to assure that the care and use of animals for all research or teaching activities will be done in accordance with applicable federal and state laws or regulations. Failure to comply may result in disciplinary action and/or a suspension of privileges to use animals in teaching and research activities.

B. Purpose

The establishment of this policy enables the University to comply with all relevant laws and regulations governing the humane care and use of research animals.

C. Scope

This policy applies to all faculty, staff, visiting scholars, and students that utilize animals for biomedical research or teaching. It is applicable to activities that occur in campus facilities as well as other locations whenever projects involve University funding, faculty scholarship, or staff/student effort as part of University activities.

D. Definitions

Animal is defined as any live or dead vertebrate animal used or intended for use in biomedical or behavioral research, research training, teaching, or testing.

Section II.    Authority and Responsibility for Ensuring Compliance

A. Institutional Official

The Vice President for Research is the Institutional Official responsible for ensuring that activities using research animals at the University are humane and in compliance with all applicable external regulations. To achieve that end, he or she is responsible for establishing and enforcing relevant University policies and procedures.

B. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee reports to the Vice President for Research. The IACUC is charged with reviewing and approving all teaching and research activities involving animals. A protocol application form ("Animal Utilization Form") must be submitted to the IACUC for review and approval before a project is initiated and/or animals are obtained. The Animal Utilization Form can be found at http://www.utexas.edu/research/rsc/animalresearch/forms.php.

The IACUC is responsible for the general oversight, evaluation, and assurance of compliance of the institution’s animal care and use program. In addition to protocol review, the Committee has additional authority in these areas:

  1. Semi-annual inspections of animal care and use facilities and evaluation of animal care and use programs.

  2. Providing recommendations to the Institutional Official for any corrections or modifications needed in program or facilities.

  3. Suspending animal use activities that are not in compliance with applicable standards.

  4. Reviewing concerns involving the care and use of animals at the University.

  5. Keeping records and maintaining the confidentiality of committee proceedings and activities.

  6. Submission of reports to the Institutional Official.
C. Attending Veterinarian

The Attending Veterinarian has specific oversight authority for all activities involving research animals at the University. He or she is also the Director of the Animal Resources Center (ARC) and serves as a voting member of the IACUC. Investigators are encouraged to call upon the Attending Veterinarian or other ARC staff for guidance in protocol development and consultation on experimental procedures.

D. Animal Resources Center (ARC)

The Animal Resources Center is responsible for the procurement of laboratory animals; providing housing and care of research animals in the centrally-managed facilities; providing and maintaining specialized facilities for animal research, such as surgery suites; overseeing transportation of laboratory animals onto or off of the campus, or from site to site on the campus; and providing veterinary services for research animals and veterinary consultation for investigators.

E. Principal Investigator Responsibilities

Although institutional policies are designed to provide the IACUC and the Institutional Official the necessary resources to assure compliance, a significant burden of responsibility also rests with the Principal Investigator. Not only is the Principal Investigator charged with completing the proposal for funding in accordance with the requirements of the funding agency, but he or she must also assure the project is performed in accordance with the funded proposal and the IACUC-approved animal use protocol. It is also the Principal Investigator's responsibility to ensure that IACUC approvals have been obtained, annual updates to the IACUC Chair have been submitted, and any significant changes to the protocol have been approved by the IACUC in advance.

Investigators using research animals must comply with the following:

  1. Investigators must file a protocol application form with the IACUC for prospective review and approval of all activities involving the use of research animals (see http://www.utexas.edu/research/rsc/animalresearch/forms.php). Such uses include pilot projects and preliminary studies, whether or not they are part of a sponsored project. Approval is granted for a maximum of one year, and protocols must be updated at least annually or whenever a significant change occurs.

  2. Proposals for funding that include vertebrate animal use must be prepared in accordance with the requirements of the funding agency, and funded projects must be performed in accordance with both the funded proposal and the associated IACUC-approved animal use protocol.

  3. All locations used to hold, house, or perform research studies on research animals must be reported to the IACUC.

  4. No research animals can be purchased or otherwise acquired without having an IACUC-approved protocol.

  5. No research animals can be sold, transferred, donated, or otherwise removed from the University without notification and approval of the IACUC or the Attending Veterinarian.

  6. Principal Investigators must take responsibility for the appropriate training of their research staff in the humane care and use of animals, ensuring that they are qualified to perform their duties, and that they understand their obligations to comply with all relevant regulations and the specifics of the approved protocol. Documentation of this training may be requested by regulatory and accrediting agencies or by the IACUC.

  7. Principal Investigators must be aware that federal regulatory agencies including the Public Health Service (PHS) and the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have specific requirements when animal use takes place off campus as a consequence of a subgrant or subcontract (including the use of animals in antibody production). Proof of PHS Assurance of Compliance must be provided to the IACUC whenever PHS-supported animal use activities are performed by an off-campus entity. In addition, when certain species are utilized at an off-campus site, that entity must be registered with the USDA and proof of that registration must be provided to the IACUC (contact the Office of Research Support and Compliance at (512) 471-8871 for more information.)

  8. Animals may not be housed for more than 12 hours outside designated housing areas without the prior review and approval of the IACUC. The IACUC will review any new housing requests in consultation with the Attending Veterinarian.

  9. All survival surgical procedures on rabbits, pigs, or other nonrodent mammals must be performed in designated surgical suites approved by the IACUC in consultation with the Attending Veterinarian.
F. Use of Animals in Teaching

It is the policy of the University that the use of either live or dead vertebrate animals for solely instructional purposes is permitted when:

  1. The responsible instructor judges that the educational goals of the program or course will be best achieved by such usage.

  2. The IACUC evaluates the animal use protocol and determines that such usage is humane, proper, appropriate, and consistent with government principles and regulations for the utilization and care of vertebrate animals used in teaching and research. Only the minimum number of animals essential to instructional objectives should be used. Instructors should be encouraged to use alternatives to animals whenever possible.

Section III.    Miscellaneous

A. Reporting Suspected Noncompliance

Any person may contact (anonymously, if they wish) the Director of the Animal Resources Center (512) 471-7534 or the Director of Research Support and Compliance (512) 471-8871 if there are concerns regarding the humane care and use of research animals at the University.

The Compliance Helpline, supervised by the Office of Institutional Compliance, may also be used. The telephone number for The Compliance Helpline is 1 (877) 888-0002. E-mail can be sent to helpline@compliance.utexas.edu. A confidential mailbox is also maintained at P. O. Box 8118, Austin, Texas 78713.

All such concerns will be referred to the IACUC for review and, if warranted, an investigation will be conducted to determine if corrective action is appropriate.

B. Retaliation Prohibited

A student, faculty, or staff member who retaliates in any way against an individual who has brought a complaint pursuant to this policy or participated in an investigation of such a complaint, is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, from the University.

C. Filing of False Complaints

Any person who knowingly and intentionally files a false complaint under this policy is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, from the University.

D. Media or Public Inquiries

Members of the media or the public may contact the University to make inquiries about the conduct of research involving animals. All such inquiries are to be directed to the Office of Public Affairs at (512) 471-3151.

For Assistance: If you have questions regarding this policy, you may contact either the Director of Office of Research Support and Compliance (512) 471-8871 or the Director of the Animal Resources Center (512) 471-7534.

Source: "Animal Welfare Act of 1966,” as amended (7 USC, 2131-2156).
"Animal Welfare Regulations," U.S. Department of Agriculture, 9 C.F.R. Subchapter A. Health Research Extension Act of 1985, Public Law 99-158, "Animals In Research."
"U.S. Government Principles for the Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals Used in Testing, Research and Training," Office of Science and Technology Policy, 1985.
"Policy on Humane Care and Use of Animals," U.S. Public Health Service, revised and reprinted 2002.
"Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals," Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources, National Research Council, 1996.

Supersedes: UT Austin Policy Memorandum 6.105, "Use of Animals in Research and Teaching Activities."
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