INSTITUTIONAL

 ANIMAL  
CARE  AND  USE  
COMMITTEE  (IACUC):  
Raising  the  bar  in  animal  care  and  use  
 – INTERNATIONAL:  
What  are  the  
existing  laws   – International  Guiding  Principles  for  
and  guidelines   Biomedical  Research  Involving  
protecting  and   Animals  by  the  Council  for  
ensuring   International  Organizations  for  Medical  
Animal   Sciences  (CIOMS)  
Welfare  of   – Guide  for  the  Care  and  Use  of  
Laboratory   Laboratory  Animals,  Institute  of  
Animals?   Laboratory  Animal  Resources,  National  
Research  Council,  USA  
 § LOCAL:  
What  are  the  
§ Animal  Welfare  Act  of  1998  (RA  8485)  
existing  laws  
and  guidelines   § Rules  and  Regulations  on  the  Conduct  of  
protecting  and   Scientific  Procedures  Using  Animals  
ensuring   (Department  of  Agriculture  Administrative  
Order  No.  40)  
Animal  
Welfare  of   § Code  of  Practice  for  the  Care  and  Use  of  
Laboratory   Laboratory  Animals  in  the  Philippines  
Animals?   (Philippine  Association  of  Laboratory  Animal  
Sciences)  
 – Procedures  in  animal  care  and  
use  must  be  compliant  to  
What  the  Law   acceptable  standards  
and  Guidelines    

say?   – Animal  facilities  (breeding)  must  

be  registered  to  the  Bureau  of  
Animal  Industry  
 – Procedures  involving  use  of  
animals  for  research  must  have  
approval  from  an  animal  welfare  
What  the  Law   committee  
and  Guidelines  
say?   – Violation  of  the  Animal  Welfare  
Act  is  punishable  by  law  and  
could  lead  to  imprisonment  and  
fines.  
 – It  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person  to…  

Animal  Welfare   – torture  any  animal  

Act  of  1998    
(RA  8485)  
– neglect  to  provide  adequate  care,  
  sustenance  or  shelter  
SECTION  6   – maltreat  any  animal  or  subject  any  
dog  or  horse  to  dogfights  or  horse  
fights    
 It  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person  to…  

§ to  kill  or  cause  or  procure  to  be  

Animal  Welfare   tortured  or  deprived  of  adequate  
Act  of  1998     care,  sustenance  or  shelter  
(RA  8485)  
  § maltreat  or  to  use  the  same  in  
SECTION  6   research  or  experiments  not  
expressly  authorized  by  the  
Committee  of  Animal  Welfare  
 Why  is  it   – To  comply  with  existing  
necessary     guidelines  
to  have  
protocols  
approved    
– To  comply  with  requirements  
by  the   for  publishing  journal  articles  
 IACUC?   related  to  animal  care  and  use  
 – Created  thru  Administrative  Order  
No.  RLA  2009-­‐  122  
UP  Manila  
 
Institutional   – Currently  composed  of  eight  (9)  
Animal   members  
Care  and   – 2  veterinarians  
Use   – 6  faculty  experienced  in  scientific  
Committee   procedures  involving  animals  
  – 1  non-­‐technical  
       (IACUC)  
Law  and  Regulations  on  Care    
and  Use  of  Animals  

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8485

“Animal Welfare Act”

 
 v PALAS Code of Practice for the Care and
Use of Laboratory Animals
Guidelines   v Rules and Regulations on the Conduct of
on  Care   Scientific Procedures Using Animals
and     (Department of Agriculture Administrative
Order No. 40)
Use  of   v Committee on Laboratory Animal
Animals   Resources Development and
Standardization (LARDS) through PCHRD
(1998)
 That animals are used in research
only when it is absolutely necessary
What  do  
That when animals are used in
the   research they are humanely treated
regulations  
ensure?  
 •  Procedures in animal care and use must be
compliant to acceptable standards

•  Animal facilities (breeding) must be

What  the   registered to the Bureau of Animal Industry
Law  and   •  Procedures involving use of animals for
Guidelines   research must have approval from an

Say     animal welfare committee

•  Violation of the Animal Welfare Act is

punishable by law and could lead to
imprisonment and fines.
Principles  of  3  R’s  
Reduction - use of minimum
number of animals to obtain
information of a given amount
and precision

Refinement - refine methods as

to cause less suffering

Replacement - the substitution of

living animals with alternatives
 Issues   o Institutional oversight committees
covered  in  
the  Guide   o Animal housing and
for  the  Care   management
and  Use  of   o Veterinary care
Laboratory  
Animals   o Euthanasia
The  Roles  and  
Responsibilities  of  the  
IACUC  
 
 What is IACUC?
- More commonly called “Animal Care Committee”
Institutiona
l  Animal   - mandated with the responsibility for ensuring
adherence to appropriate University and national
Care  and   and international policies and regulations.
Use   - under the Office of the Vice Chancellor for
Committee   Research, shall serve as the oversight committee
in the care and use of animals in research and
(IACUC)   teaching activities in the University of the
Philippines Manila.
Organizational structure: University perspective
 How do the government ensure the
regulatory requirements are
satisfied?
Regulatory
Oversight Through the Institutional Animal
Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
 They review and approve all research,
teaching or testing activities that involve
How does the animals before scientists begin their
committee experiments to ensure:
satisfy
their ü there are no alternatives to using
animals,
responsibilities?
ü that research is not being unnecessarily
duplicated, and

ü that the experiment is relevant to human

or animal health and will be for the good
of society.
 1. To review and implement the animal care and use
protocol as approved by the Philippine Association for
Laboratory Animal Science (PALAS) in compliance with
the DA-AO No. 40 and the Animal Welfare Act of 1998;

Functions/ 2. To evaluate and approve the animal care and use plans
as detailed in the research proposals;
Responsib 3. To track and monitor the implementation of the animal
ilities   care and use plans of approved protocols

4. To inspect designated animal holding rooms and other

facilities where animals are temporarily housed and are
manipulated;
 5. To provide assistance and feedback to all units
with animal laboratory facilities for the
improvement of animal care and use practices and
laboratory infrastructure;
Functions/   6.   To assist in the planning and establishment of
Responsi-­‐   animal facilities according to standards;
bilities   7.  To conduct short courses related to animal care
and use in research, and;
8.  To take lead in the advocacy of animal care and
use in research in the country.
 Ø Review of animal use procedures:
IACUC Oversight
ü Reviews and approves all procedures to
be conducted on animals.
ü Identify potentially painful and stressful
Functions/ procedures and ensure medications are
Responsib being used to eliminate or minimize the
pain/distress.
ilities   ü Monitor the research activities to ensure
only IACUC reviewed & approved
procedures are being conducted on
animals.
 IACUC
Ø  Oversight
Inspect the living quarters of animals at
least twice a year to ensure:
ü Animals are checked daily that , their
housing facilities are clean and that they
Functions/ regularly receive fresh food & water.
Responsib ü They are appropriate for the species
ilities   being housed.
ü Animals are receiving appropriate
veterinary care.
 IACUC Oversight
Ø The IACUC also ensures:
ü The number of animals used for the
research will yield statistically valid results.
Functions/ ü The appropriate species of animal is being
Responsib used for the project.

ilities   ü Humane experimental endpoints have

been established.
ü Appropriate methods of euthanasia are
being utilized.
Why  is  it  
necessary  
to  have   • To comply with existing guidelines
protocols   • To comply with requirements for
approved   publishing journal articles related
by  the   to animal care and use
IACUC?  
Planning  
the  
Research  
Project  
 1. Why is this the right animal model?
A.  Research should be undertaken with a
clear scientific purpose.

Justification  
for  using  
animals  
 B. There should be a reasonable expectation
that the research will:

1. I ncrease knowledge of the processes

Justification   underlying the evolution, development,
for  using   maintenance, alteration, control, or biological
animals   significance of behaviour

2. Increase understanding of the species

under study

3. Provide results that benefit the health or

welfare of humans or other animals.
 C. Does an animal need to be used?

i.e., are there alternative models?

Justification   D. What is the minimal number of animals
for  using   needed?
animals  
C.  elegans  and  D.  melanogaster  
 I. Bred in the laboratory
II. Licensed dealer
- Animals not bred in the facility are to be
acquired lawfully.
Animal   - Sources: UPM-NIH, FDA, RITM, St Luke’s,
Acquisition   etc
II. Field collections
- Animals taken from the wild should be
trapped in a humane manner and in accordance
with applicable local and national regulations.
 – Ensure  adequate  and  proper  animal  
care  and  use  
Role  of   – Work  in  concert  with  the  IACUC  and  
Veterinarian   Investigators  
and  Staff   – Exercise  professional  judgment  to  
facilitate  the  science  in  the  context  
of  animal  welfare  
 – Plan  research  in  the  context  of  quality  animal  care  
– Accept  the  responsibility  
– Work  to  strengthen  your  animal  care  and  use  
The   program  
Scientist’s   – Engage  in  the  process    
Role   – IACUC  participation  
  – Know  the  regulations  
– Be  willing  to  communicate  with  administrators,  
regulators,  and  Congress  
– Embrace  change  
– Be  proactive  
 IACUC  Protocol  
– Know  your  animal  protocol.  
– Match  to  your  grant  application.  
– Refer  to  the  protocol  often.  
– Make  no  deviations  from  the  protocol.  
– There  is  no  such  thing  as  a  pilot  study  that  does  not  
need  IACUC  approval.  
– Has  everyone  in  the  lab  read  the  protocol  and  know  
where  it  is  located?  
 – Chair  rotates  annually  
The  “Weak”   – Inadequate  relief/support  for  Chair  
IACUC   – Members  only  serve  1  year  
– Few  members  who  are  PIs  
 – Insufficient  staff    
The     – Insufficient/no  office  space    
“Weak”   – Insufficient  funding  
IACUC   – Inadequate  computer  
expertise/equipment  
 – Inadequate/no  member  training    
The   – Inept  protocol  review  
“Weak”   – Staff  “runs”  the  committee/
IACUC   meetings  
– Designated  member  review  only  
 – Deficient  recordkeeping  
(minutes,  protocols,  reports)  
The  
– Delegated  facility  inspections  
“Weak”  
– Inadequate  semiannual  
IACUC   facility  inspections/program  
reviews  
 –   Protocol  Review  
IACUC   –   Semiannual  Evaluations  
Deficiencies   –   Committee  Composition    
in  Rank    &  Member  Participation  
Order   –   Policies  &  Documentation  
–   Training  
 – Husbandry  exceptions  to  Guide  (e.g.  wire-­‐bottom  
cages,  cage  cleaning  intervals)  

Protocol   – Justification  for  the  numbers  of  animals  used  

Review   – Expedited  review  

– Review  of  amendments/addenda  
– Alternatives  to  painful  procedures  (Policy  #12)  
– *  Management/evaluation  of  pain  and  distress  *  
Protocol   – Inadequate  justification  for  
Review:     withholding  analgesia  
Management/
evaluation  of  pain   – Inconsistency  in  evaluating  pain  
and  distress  
(By  far  the  greatest   categories  or  inadequate  evaluation  
number  of  mandatory  
items    
related  to  protocol  
of  potential  for  pain  and  distress  
review)  
– Humane  endpoints  
 § Evaluation  of  animal  activity  areas  
§ Classification  of  deficiencies  as          
Semiannual   “minor”  or  “significant”  
Evaluations   § Schedule  and  plan  for  correction  
§ Follow-­‐up  to  ensure  schedule  and  plan  
met  
 – Nonaffiliated  member  not  
appointed  
Committee  
Composition     – Nonaffiliated  member  not  
&  Member   attending  meetings  
Participation:  
– Nonaffiliated  member  not  
participating  in  semiannual  
evaluations  
 § Lack  of  policies/guidelines  for  common  
experimental  procedures  (e.g.,  ascites  
production,  use  of  adjuvants,  tail  snips)  
Policies     § Failure  to  review  policies/guidelines  
and   regularly  
Documentation  
§ Failure  to  record  committee  
deliberations  
 – Failure  to  train  (or  to  document  
the  training  of)  IACUC  members  
Training  
– Failure  to  train  (or  to  document  
the  training  of)  researchers  
In  a  Successful  Animal  Care  and  Use  Program…  

…each  person  in  each  component  of  an  

animal  care  program  must  know  and  
understand  his  or  her  contribution  as  it  
relates  to  the  whole  effort.  
 1.  Using animals for research
activities is a privilege, not a
right!
Summary
with two final 2.  It is a privilege that a scientist or
points an institution can lose if the
ethical (e.g. legal and moral)
responsibilities are not satisfied.
 Where  would  you  expect  better  study  results  from  ?  

Here?  

Or  Here?  
– Thank  you!!!