Projects extending beyond this period must be resubmitted to the ACUC as a full protocol rather than a renewal request. Applications and proposals that have been approved by the ACUC may be subject to further appropriate review and approval by officials of the institution. It is the policy of the WFU ACUC that protocols which involve non-routine or harmful invasive procedures such as major multiple survival surgery are not eligible for expedited review, and must always be reviewed by the full Committee. In most instances, multiple survival surgical procedures on a single animal are discouraged. However, under special circumstances, more than one major surgical procedure on a single animal may be permitted provided they are related components of a research or instructional project.
Major surgery is defined as any surgery in which a major body cavity is opened.
The WFU ACUC policy states that protocols which involve prolonged restraint are not eligible for expedited review and must always be reviewed by the full Committee. This decision is based on years of experience with these techniques in several laboratories within the institution. It is the policy of the WFU ACUC that protocols which involve the long-term maintenance of animals with serious debilitating diseases must always be reviewed by the full Committee. An example of such a protocol is one including maintenance of animals with naturally occurring or experimentally induced paralysis. The ACUC currently approves all methods of euthanasia that are in agreement with the 1993 AVMA Panel on Euthanasia recommendations.