References | Introduction | Definitions | Statement | Attachments I. REFERENCES Source material for this policy has been drawn from the following resources.
II. INTRODUCTION UCLA recognizes that the use of animals for teaching and research is fundamental to biology and medicine and that Laboratory Animal Subjects are sentient creatures. Such use is a privilege accompanied by a moral and legal obligation for humane animal care. UCLA strives to ensure that the housing, care, feeding and use of all Laboratory Animal Subjects are supervised and conducted by qualified personnel and that UCLA maintains full accreditation by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, International (AAALAC). For more information on the care, use and housing of Laboratory Animal Subjects used in research, contact the UCLA Office for the Protection of Research Subjects or refer to its Web site. III. DEFINITIONS Animal Research is defined as the development of knowledge necessary for the improvement of the health and well-being of humans as well as other animals, requiring in vivo experimentation with animals. Chancellor's Animal Research Committee (ARC) is an independent research review committee mandated by the Animal Welfare Act and the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (PHS Policy), and is composed of UCLA faculty experienced in research involving animals from various science disciplines, veterinarians, professional staff, and non-University-affiliated members whose primary concerns are in a nonscientific area. Laboratory Animal Subject is any live or dead vertebrate animal used or intended for use in research, teaching, testing, experimentation or for related purposes. Laboratory Animal Subject Facilities are any and all buildings, rooms, areas, enclosures, or vehicles including satellite facilities, used for Laboratory Animal Subject confinement, transport, maintenance, breeding or experiments inclusive of surgical manipulation and/or nonsurgical procedures. A satellite facility is any containment outside of a core facility or centrally designated or managed area in which Laboratory Animal Subjects are housed for more than 12 hours. IV. STATEMENT UCLA is committed to maintaining the highest standards for the care and use of Laboratory Animal Subjects in research, testing, and teaching. UCLA accepts as mandatory the U.S. Government Principles for the Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals Used in Testing, Research and Training and has implemented the requirements of the Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources (ILAR) Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Individual researchers and administrators are required to comply with the Animal Welfare Act, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and other applicable State and local statutes and regulations concerning the care and use of Laboratory Animal Subjects. Failure to comply with USDA regulations may result in civil or criminal prosecution and withholding of funding for, and suspension of, Animal Research activities. Failure to comply with the ILAR Guide, UCLA's Animal Welfare Assurance, and/or PHS Policy may also result in suspension of Animal Research activities. Faculty in the role of a faculty sponsor have an obligation to ensure that both they and their students, who may be involved in Animal Research, are aware of all applicable policies. A. Responsibilities Following are the principal personnel with administrative responsibilities for the proper care and use of Laboratory Animal Subjects in research under the auspices of UCLA. Vice Chancellor for Research Institutional responsibility for compliance with animal welfare regulations and policies has been delegated by the Chancellor to the Vice Chancellor for Research (Institutional Official), who:
Chancellor's Animal Research Committee (ARC) The ARC has the authority to review and approve, require modifications to, or withhold approval of all Animal Research, testing, or teaching conducted under the general auspices of UCLA. The ARC is responsible for:
The PHS Policy requires ARC to approve applications involving Laboratory Animal Subjects as proposed in PHS grant applications before funds will be awarded. Failure to comply with these policies may result in termination of PHS support for all projects which involve Laboratory Animal Subjects. In order to meet statutory requirements, the ARC has instituted a mandatory training and certification program for investigators and other research personnel who wish to use Laboratory Animal Subjects for teaching, testing and/or research, and conducts workshops on a regular basis for the purpose of informing investigators of changes in regulatory requirements, and to provide assistance with the review process. Office for the Protection of Research Subjects (OPRS) OPRS acts as the administrative support body for the ARC at UCLA, and is responsible for:
Campus Veterinarian The Campus Veterinarian, a member of ARC, serves as the professional advisor on all veterinary matters at UCLA, reporting to the Vice Chancellor for Research on all matters relating to the campus-wide Animal Care and Use Program. The Campus Veterinarian is responsible for exercising professional judgment in all matters related to animal acquisition, care, and use. The Campus Veterinarian reviews all protocols prior to the initiation of any project or activity involving Laboratory Animal Subjects and provides veterinary surveillance over all Laboratory Animal Subject care and Laboratory Animal Subject Facility use at UCLA. Deans, Directors and Department Heads Deans, directors and department heads with administrative jurisdiction over Laboratory Animal Subject Facilities where Laboratory Animal Subjects are maintained are ultimately responsible for the proper care and use of the animals in those facilities. Each such dean, director or department head may appoint a representative, who is a faculty member experienced in the care and use of Laboratory Animal Subjects or a committee, to take responsibility for coordinating necessary administrative activities. Each such dean, director or department head or, as appropriate, each designated representative or committee, works closely with the Campus Veterinarian and his/her staff and is responsible for:
Individual Investigators Individual investigators who use Laboratory Animal Subjects in their teaching or research (including field work involving such animals) are responsible, by law, for conforming to the federal, State, and local regulations and policies governing Laboratory Animal Subject use. Such responsibilities include:
Participation by investigators in the basic exam and species-specific training program and enrollment in the health protection tracking system prior to initiating contact with live animals is a minimum requirement. Submission and approval of an Application to Use Laboratory Animal Subjects in Research and/or Teaching (form AC-2; see Attachment A) is also required prior to any research or instructional use of Laboratory Animal Subjects by UCLA faculty, students or staff. B. Acquisition, Housing and Record Keeping All arrangements for the acquisition and housing of Laboratory Animal Subjects from any source must be made through the UCLA Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine (DLAM) for Center for the Health Sciences and other departments whose Laboratory Animal Subject care is serviced by DLAM, or through the departmental purchasing office for investigators in other departments. All mice will be ordered through the facility manager who will pass the order through the Office of the Campus Veterinarian. Arrangements for housing must be made before an order will be placed and Laboratory Animal Subjects may not be purchased or otherwise acquired until a fully approved protocol is on file. Investigators are responsible for informing veterinary staff in writing regarding Laboratory Animal Subjects requiring special care, equipment or supplies, or special permits. The Animal Welfare Act and the PHS Policy require appropriate identification of Laboratory Animal Subjects and maintenance of their records. Investigators are responsible for keeping appropriate records of selected small Laboratory Animal Subjects, while investigators and DLAM have a dual responsibility to maintain individual clinical records for higher mammals. Laboratory Animal Subject records must be maintained for 3 years and are subject to inspection by the US Department of Agriculture, National Institutes of Health site visitors and accrediting bodies. V. ATTACHMENTS |
||||||||||||||||
