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MSM Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

The MSM Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is charged with ensuring that the policies set forth in the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals are followed by the faculty and staff of the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.

The MSM IACUC will follow the guidelines set forth in this document whether the animal care and use protocols are being funded from federal or non-federal sources. 

The MSM IACUC is set up in such a way as to meet all federal guidelines for committee composition and at the same time provide adequate representation for individuals at each of the MSM member institutions. 

Functions of the MSM IACUC

  1. The major function of the MSM IACUC is to ensure that all animals housed in the MSM institutions are used in accordance with federal and state law, in a humane manner, using the minimum number of animals necessary to meet the objectives of the experiment or teaching exercise, and using the most appropriate species.

  2. In order to meet this charge, the MSM IACUC may require modifications in, or disapprove/approve an animal protocol or activity. Should the faculty or staff member disregard the decisions of the IACUC, the committee is empowered to suspend an activity after due process (Policy Section IV C6 and 7) and is required to inform the Office of Protection from Research Risks (OPRR) of its action (Policy Section IV F3).

  3. Current federal guidelines require that the MSM IACUC approve all animal care and use protocols PRIOR TO the initiation of such protocols. This requirement is met by the Request for the Use of Animal Subjects in Research, Teaching and Training (IACUC Application). In addition, OLAW requires that all such protocols must be re-reviewed every three years. The revised Animal Welfare Act requires that all animal use protocols are re-reviewed annually. The protocol summary sheets appended to the Request for Animal Use form are used to meet that requirement.