SPI 7-05

I. **General**

Every research study that involves the use of laboratory animals must be
first approved by the BNL Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
(IACUC). The IACUC=s jurisdiction includes all research involving live,
vertebrate animals performed at or in conjunction with Brookhaven
National Laboratory (BNL) and its employees, regardless of the Principal
Investigator=s (PI) appointment or relationship with BNL. It=s purpose
is to review and approve the Laboratory=s animal program and facilities,
and review and approve each research protocol that involves animals to
assure that it will be conducted in accordance with the Public Health
Service APolicy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals@, the
AAnimal Welfare Act@, and the United Stated Department of Agriculture
(USDA) regulations at 9 CFR implementing this statute, and that the
protocol is consistent with the AGuide for the Care and Use of
Laboratory Animals@ issued by the National Research Council (Guide). The
IACUC is guided by the principles set forth in the Laboratory=s General
Assurance between Brookhaven Science Associates, LLC (BSA) and the
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Members of the IACUC are appointed by the Laboratory Director for a
three year term. The composition shall be in accord with the Public
Health Service policy and shall meet the following requirements: a)
shall be comprised of no less than five (5) members; b) shall include at
least one doctor of veterinary medicine; c) shall include at least one
non-scientist; d) shall include at least one practicing scientist
experienced in research involving animals; e) shall include at least one
member who is not now, nor in the past five years, been affiliated with
BNL and who is not part of the immediate family of a person who is
affiliated with BNL; f) shall be sufficiently qualified through the
experience, expertise and diversity of its members, including
consideration to race, gender, and cultural background and sensitivity
to such issues as community attitudes, to permit complete and adequate
review of research activities commonly conducted by BNL; g) shall be
able to ascertain the acceptability of proposed research in terms of
institutional commitments and regulations, applicable law, and standards
of professional conduct and practice; h) and may invite individuals with
competence in special areas to assist in the review of issues which may
require expertise beyond or in addition to the expertise routinely
available on the IACUC. Such Aspecialists@ shall not have voting rights.
The IACUC shall meet regularly, once per month. A quorum shall consist
of half the members, plus one, provided one is a doctor of veterinary
medicine.

II\. **Facilities**

The Brookhaven Laboratory Animal Facility (BLAF) located in the Medical
Department, Building 490, is BNL=s core accredited facility for research
using laboratory animals. Satellite BNL facilities must satisfy the
accreditation standard and be approved as satellites of the core
facility for accreditation purposes. BLAF and satellite facilities are
subject to review and approval by the IACUC.

III\. **Review Procedure**

A. Administrative

> 1\. Proposals, including new, review/renewal and addendum proposals,
> for conducting research involving laboratory animals, will be prepared
> by the Principal Investigator using appropriate forms and instructions
> made available by the IACUC Secretary.
>
> 2\. Completed proposals will be submitted by the Principal
> Investigator to his/her Department Chairman/Division Head for review
> and approval or rejection. Department/Division review will include
> consideration of at least the following:
>
> a\. Scientific merit
>
> b\. Appropriateness of staff expertise, organizational and budgetary
> resources
>
> c\. Adequacy of facilities.
>
> d\. Assurance of compliance with quality control and quality assurance
> requirements, especially for radioactive and hazardous materials, and
> compliance with worker safety requirements. This assurance must be in
> the form of an approved Department/Division Experimental Safety Review
> (ESR) for the proposed project.
>
> 3\. Following Department/Division approval, the proposal will be
> forwarded to the IACUC Secretary. The IACUC Secretary will forward the
> proposal to the Attending Veterinarian for review and approval or
> rejection. The Attending Veterinarian=s review will include
> consideration of at least the following:
>
> a\. Conformance to appropriate veterinary standards of animal care and
> welfare.
>
> b\. Appropriateness of staff expertise.
>
> c\. Adequacy of facilities.

B. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

> 1\. Proposals are reviewed at scheduled monthly meetings, and a
> decision will be made by the IACUC to approve, approve with
> modifications, or disapprove the protocol. The IACUC decision will be
> transmitted in writing to the Principal Investigator, the cognizant
> Department Chair/Division Head, and the Veterinary Services Manager.
>
> 2\. IACUC review and evaluation of proposals will include
> consideration of at least the following:
>
> a\. Justification for the use of animals, choice of species and
> numbers to be used.
>
> b\. Procedures for avoidance or minimization of pain and discomfort
> for the animals, including the use of analgesia or anesthesia
> consistent with sound research practices.
>
> c\. Adequacy of housing, maintenance and veterinary medical care.
>
> d\. Qualifications and training of personnel performing the proposed
> procedures.
>
> e\. Identified experimental end-points, including methods of
> euthanasia for the animals when appropriate.
>
> 3\. Each approved proposal shall be reviewed and evaluated no less
> than annually. Each approved proposal shall be required to submit a
> new proposal application every three years for review and approval.
>
> 4\. The IACUC shall, at least once every six months, review and
> approve the Laboratory Animal Program using the Guide as a basis for
> evaluation.
>
> 5\. The IACUC shall, at least once every six months, review and
> evaluate the Laboratory Animal Facilities. This shall be performed
> during a walk-through of the BLAF. Satellite facilities shall also be
> reviewed every six months either by the full IACUC, or by a
> sub-committee of IACUC formed for such evaluations.
>
> 6\. Written reports of the IACUC evaluations shall be submitted to the
> Institutional Official at least once every six months. This report
> shall constitute the Semi-Annual Review.
>
> 7\. The IACUC shall review concerns involving the care and use of
> animals at the institution and make recommendations to the
> Institutional Official regarding any aspect of the institution=s
> animal program, facilities or personnel training.