Posted: December 17, 2009

Annual Reports for the period January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009 will be due to OLAW no later than January 31, 2010. In accordance with the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Policy), Part IV.F., and each Institution’s Animal Welfare Assurance, each institution is required to submit a written report to OLAW at least once every 12 months. Reporting periods coincide with the calendar year, unless a request was made in writing to OLAW for an alternate reporting schedule.

Information to be reported consists of any change in the institution’s program of animal care and use, a change in the Institutional Official or IACUC membership, the dates that the IACUC conducted its semiannual evaluations of the program and facilities, and any minority view by an IACUC member. Only three attachments are required to accompany the annual report:

1. Roster of the IACUC members, only if there has been a change to the membership
2. Summary of any program changes
3. Any minority view by an IACUC member

If there have been no other changes to the animal program, then no other program elements are needed for the Annual Report. Please do not send semi-annual reports with the Annual Report unless they include a minority view (see OLAW FAQ C6 under Institutional Reporting to OLAW). IACUCs that have newly elected to utilize a standard operating procedure for Designated Member Review subsequent to Full Committee Review should provide information about this program change to OLAW in the Annual Report (see OLAW FAQ D19 under Protocol Review).

A sample Annual Report document can be found at the Annual Report to OLAW webpage. For additional information, view the OLAW Online Seminar - "The OLAW Annual Report: What You Need to Know" (Flash - 53 mins). If you have any questions regarding your report, please contact OLAW at 301-496-7163.

OLAW requests that the Annual Report be faxed to 301-915-9478 for more efficient processing. If you choose to submit your report by e-mail, please convert your signed Annual Report to PDF and e-mail to olawarp@mail.nih.gov. If you choose to send by mail, UPS or FedEx, please send to:

OLAW Division of Assurances
National Institutes of Health
RLK 1, Suite 360
6705 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20817

Documents submitted to OLAW are subject to release under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). For guidance on FOIA, see OLAW FAQ C4 under Institutional Reporting to OLAW.

Posted: December 14, 2009

A recording of the OLAW IACUC Staff Online Seminar, “The OLAW Annual Report: What You Need to Know”, held December 10, 2009 is now available. The seminar recording can be found on the OLAW Education Resources page.

Posted: December 4, 2009

The National Human Genome Research Institute Office of Laboratory Animal Medicine, with support from the NIH Office of Animal Care and Use and the AALAS Foundation, has developed a training CD in “Basic Biomethodology for Laboratory Rats”. The CD compliments the training CDs in “Training in Survival Rodent Surgery” and “Training in Basic Biomethodology for Laboratory Mice”. It illustrates the most common practices used in the NIH intramural research program and was developed to promote proficiency in performing common techniques in the rat. It consists of nine training modules, table of contents, list of definitions and help and reference sections.

To obtain a copy of the CD send your name, research institution affiliation, full mailing address and email address to rats_cd@mail.nih.gov. One CD per request please.

Posted: December 1, 2009

The Office of Health and Safety of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is presenting the “11^th International Symposium on Biosafety” on January 23-27, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. The focus of this symposium is “Management Challenges for Safe Operation of BSL3/ABSL3 Facilities.” The symposium will be preceded by two days of pre-conference courses. For program agenda, registration, and accommodation information, visit http://www.eagleson.org/cdc. 

Posted: November 24, 2009

Eileen Morgan, Director, Division of Assurances, OLAW, will be the speaker for the OLAW Outreach Program on December 10, 2009.

IO Seminar - Noon to 1 pm (Eastern time) - “The OLAW Annual Report and More”. Several topics will be covered including the “OLAW Annual Report” and “NIH and ARRA”. This seminar is limited to Institutional Officials (IOs) at PHS Assured institutions. Preregistration is required.

IACUC Staff Seminar - 2 to 3 pm (Eastern time) - “The OLAW Annual Report: What You Need to Know”. This seminar is tailored to Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) staff and members, veterinarians, compliance personnel and animal care staff. Registration is limited to one connection per PHS Assured institution. Preregistration is required. This seminar will be recorded.
 
Participants are encouraged to submit questions in advance by email to olawdpe@od.nih.gov.

Registration for OLAW Online Seminars remains valid for future events.  Participants who registered for previous Seminars and already have web meeting accounts do not need to re-register. For more information contact OLAW at 301-496-7163 or email to olawdpe@od.nih.gov.

Posted: November 9, 2009

The Scientists Center for Animal Welfare (SCAW) will present the Winter Conference – “Creating and Running an Engaged and Proactive IACUC” – on December 8 and 9, 2009 in San Antonio, Texas. The two day conference is for IACUC members and administrators, principal investigators, attending veterinarians, regulatory personnel, and laboratory animal care staff. The program will include topics that explore advances in research animal welfare.

Posted: November 5, 2009

The Pennsylvania State University is presenting the “4^th Annual IACUC Administrator’s Best Practices Meeting” on December 3 and 4, 2009 in State College, Pennsylvania. This year’s meeting - “Streamlining & Efficiently Operating Your Animal Care and Use Program” - will focus on identifying efficient ways to conduct activities such as protocol reviews and facility inspections. Registration for this year’s meeting is closed. Program information can be found at IACUC Administrator’s Best Practices Meeting (PDF - 32 KB).

Posted: October 23, 2009

Pain and Distress in Fish  
Issue Editor: Stephen A. Smith

"The articles in this issue of the ILAR Journal consider both the philosophical and scientific aspects of fish pain and distress as well as the use of fish as models for research on human diseases. The issue's topic is important both because of the number of species involved (some 30,000) and because controversy persists about whether fish experience pain and/or distress."
— Lysa Pam Posner, in Introduction: Pain and Distress in Fish: A Review of the Evidence

Posted: October 19, 2009

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) are hosting a Joint International Symposium on Animal Welfare on November 9-11, 2009 in East Lansing, Michigan. The symposium, “Swimming With the Tide – Animal Welfare in Veterinary Medical Education and Research”, is for veterinarians, educators, researchers, students, and others interested in animal welfare. The program will focus on animal welfare as an evolving discipline and educating veterinarians to be effective decision makers and advocates. The symposium will be held at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. For additional information, visit http://www.avma.org/awsymposium/. 

Posted: September 25, 2009

A SCAW IACUC-Advanced Workshop will be held on October 20, 2009 in Notre Dame, Indiana. The Scientists Center for Animal Welfare (SCAW) developed this one day educational workshop for experienced Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) members and administrators, principal investigators, attending veterinarians, regulatory personnel and laboratory animal care staff. The program focuses on topics such as advanced protocol review and provides opportunities for small discussion groups and sharing of information among participants.

SCAW will host the program with support from the University of Notre Dame, NIH OLAW and USDA APHIS Animal Care. For program, registration and accommodation information, visit http://www.scaw.com/iacuc-advanced.htm.

Posted: September 18, 2009

A recording of "Emerging Issues, USDA Perspective”, an OLAW IACUC Staff Online Seminar is posted on the OLAW website at Educational Resources. The webinar speaker is Dr. Betty Goldentyer, Eastern Region Director, APHIS, USDA. The seminar was broadcast September 17, 2009.

Posted: September 10, 2009

IACUC 101 and 201 PLUS Workshops will be held on October 7 and 8, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois.

IACUC 101 – “The Basics” – is a full day didactic and interactive educational program designed to provide Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) members, administrators, veterinarians, animal care staff, researchers, regulatory personnel and compliance officers with information on the role and responsibilities of IACUCs, including an understanding of federal policies and regulations governing laboratory animal welfare.

IACUC 201 PLUS – “The Process PLUS Select Topics” – is a highly interactive program that takes the fundamentals of IACUC 101 and applies them to the process and mechanisms of ensuring compliance. The morning and afternoon sessions are divided into 3 tracks based on an individual’s IACUC role, responsibility, and interests. Track topics are customized to include subjects of timely interest. The program concludes with open questions and answers to representatives of OLAW, USDA, and AAALAC.

Northwestern University and Loyola University Medical Center will host the programs with support from NIH OLAW, USDA APHIS Animal Care, and AAALAC International. For program, registration and accommodation information, see IACUC 101/201 PLUS (PDF - 66 KB).

Posted: September 1, 2009

“Emerging Issues, USDA Perspective” - September 17^th - Betty Goldentyer, D.V.M., Eastern Region Director, USDA, APHIS, Animal Care, will be the guest speaker for the OLAW Outreach Program, a free online seminar series.
 
IACUC Staff Seminar - 2 to 3 pm (Eastern time). This seminar is tailored to Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) staff and members, veterinarians, compliance personnel and animal care staff. Registration is limited to one connection per PHS Assured institution. Visit the IACUC Staff Online Seminar page for registration and program information.
 
IO Seminar - Noon to 1 pm (Eastern time). This seminar is limited to Institutional Officials (IOs) and their guests at PHS Assured institutions. Visit the IO Online Seminar page for registration and program information.
 
Participants are encouraged to submit questions in advance by email to olawdpe@od.nih.gov.

Note: Registration for OLAW Online Seminars remains valid for future events.  Participants who registered for previous Seminars and already have web meeting accounts do not need to re-register. For more information contact OLAW at 301-496-7163 or email to olawdpe@od.nih.gov.

Posted: August 31, 2009

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Animal Care and Animal Welfare Information Center (AWIC) are conducting a workshop on September 23-24, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri.

The workshop - “Considering Alternatives; Making a Difference” - is designed to help Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) members, investigators, veterinarians, administrators and members of the general public better understand the Animal Welfare Act requirement to “consider alternatives”.

For program, registration and accommodation information, see Considering Alternatives; Making a Difference (PDF - 17 KB).

Posted: July 31, 2009

A SCAW IACUC-Advanced Workshop will be held on September 11, 2009 in Beaverton, Oregon. The Scientists Center for Animal Welfare (SCAW) developed this one day educational workshop for experienced Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) members and administrators, principal investigators, attending veterinarians, regulatory personnel and laboratory animal care staff. The program focuses on topics such as advanced protocol review and provides opportunities for small discussion groups and sharing of information among participants.

SCAW will host the program with support from the Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, NIH OLAW and USDA APHIS Animal Care. For program, registration and accommodation information, visit http://www.scaw.com/iacuc-advanced.htm.

Posted: July 23, 2009

OLAW has a Topic Index – a new online resource to OLAW Guidance by subject matter. You can now browse and search OLAW responses to Frequently Asked Questions, Commentaries and Articles written by OLAW staff, plus Policy Notices published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. The Topic Index can be found on the OLAW homepage under Guidance.

Posted: July 17, 2009

Sleep-Disordered Breathing: Exploring a Human Disorder Using Animal Models
Issue Co-Editor: Estelle B. Gauda

"Sleep-disordered breathing—and in particular, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)—and its comorbidities have a major impact both on individual health and on health care systems in general. The use of animal models is essential as investigators continue to learn about OSA and advance the transition from identifying mechanisms of injury to developing therapeutic interventions."

Posted: July 7, 2009

OLAW has developed an online forum for participants and viewers of the Online Seminars. If you have participated in the Online Seminar, “What Every IACUC Should Know About AAALAC International”, or watched the recording, you may now submit comments and questions online. OLAW will compile comments, answer questions and post relevant material on the OLAW website. The comment period for this seminar is open until August 15, 2009. The link to the forum can be found on the Education Resources page by clicking on the seminar title.

Posted: June 29, 2009

OLAW has updated their guidance to IACUCs regarding the use of Designated Member Review (DMR) to review animal study protocols subsequent to Full Committee Review (FCR). This guidance can be found in Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) 19 under the Protocol Review section on the OLAW web page http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/faqs.htm#proto_19.

For questions, suggestions or comments, email to olaw@od.nih.gov.

Posted: June 17, 2009

A recording of the OLAW IACUC Staff Online Seminar, "What Every IACUC Should Know About AAALAC International", held June 11, 2009 is now available. The seminar recording can be found on the OLAW Education Resources page.

Posted: June 4, 2009

Christian E. Newcomer, V.M.D., Executive Director, AAALAC International, will be the guest speaker for both seminars.
 
IACUC Staff Seminar – June 11, 2 to 3 pm (Eastern time) - “What Every IACUC Should Know About AAALAC International”. This free seminar is tailored to IACUC staff members. Registration is limited to one connection per PHS Assured institution. Visit the IACUC Staff Online Seminar page for registration and program information.
 
IO Seminar – June 11, Noon to 1 pm (Eastern time) - “What Every IO Should Know About AAALAC International”. This free seminar is limited to Institutional Officials (IOs) and their guests at PHS Assured institutions. Visit the IO Online Seminar page for registration and program information.
 
Participants are encouraged to submit questions in advance by email to olaw@od.nih.gov
 
Note: Registration for OLAW Online Seminars remains valid for future events.  Participants who registered for previous Seminars and already have web meeting accounts do not need to re-register. For more information contact OLAW at 301-496-7163 or email to olaw@od.nih.gov.

Posted: May 29, 2009

Experts convened by the National Academy of Sciences recently concluded that “all vertebrates should be considered capable of experiencing the aversive state of pain.” Minimizing animal pain, wherever possible, is important both ethically and legally. The National Academies have developed a free online resource to help those who care for and use laboratory animals, farm animals, and pets to prevent, recognize, and alleviate pain in different types of animals, from non-human primates to fish. Visit this online resource at http://nas.edu/pain.

Posted: May 11, 2009

A SCAW IACUC-Advanced Workshop will be held on June 15, 2009 in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The Scientists Center for Animal Welfare (SCAW) developed this one day educational workshop for experienced Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) members and administrators, principal investigators, attending veterinarians, regulatory personnel and laboratory animal care staff. The program focuses on topics such as advanced protocol review and provides opportunities for small discussion groups and sharing of information among participants.

SCAW will host the program with support from NIH OLAW, USDA APHIS Animal Care, and GlaxoSmithKline. For program, registration and accommodation information, visit http://www.scaw.com/iacuc-advanced.htm.

Posted: May 1, 2009

OLAW reminds grantee institutions that the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals requires PHS Assured institutions to “have a disaster plan that takes into account both personnel and animals.” Guidance can be found on the OLAW website in the Frequently Asked Questions section, question 9, under Institutional Responsibilities. For detailed information on H1N1 Influenza, see http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.

Posted: April 28, 2009

IACUC 101 and 201 PLUS Workshops will be held on June 24 and 25, 2009 in Niagara Falls, New York.

IACUC 101 – "The Basics" – is a full day didactic and interactive educational program designed to provide Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) members, administrators, veterinarians, animal care staff, researchers, regulatory personnel and compliance officers with information on the role and responsibilities of IACUCs, including an understanding of federal policies and regulations governing laboratory animal welfare.

IACUC 201 PLUS – "The Process PLUS Select Topics" – is a highly interactive program that takes the fundamentals of IACUC 101 and applies them to the process and mechanisms of ensuring compliance. The morning and afternoon sessions are divided into 3 tracks based on an individual’s IACUC role, responsibility, and interests. Track topics are customized to include subjects of timely interest. The program concludes with open questions and answers to representatives of OLAW, USDA, and AAALAC.

The Roswell Park Cancer Institute will host the programs with support from NIH OLAW, USDA APHIS Animal Care, and AAALAC. For program, registration and accommodation information, visit http://www.roswellpark.org/IACUC2009.

Posted: April 1, 2009

Gene Therapy in Large Animal Models of Human Genetic Diseases
Issue editor: John H. Wolfe

"The structure and function of most genes in animals are homologous to those in humans, thus many genetic diseases that occur in humans also occur in animals. Gene mutations usually cause similar biochemical dysfunctions, resulting in pathologic changes at the molecular, cellular, organ, and organism levels. For these reasons, the knowledge gained through research in animals can be of direct benefit to human as well as animal health."

Posted: March 11, 2009

A recording of the OLAW IACUC Staff Online Seminar, “Reporting Noncompliant Events to OLAW”, held March 5, 2009 is now available. The seminar recording can be found on the OLAW IACUC Staff Outreach page

Posted: January 26, 2009

The Neurobiology of Social Behavior
Issue editor: Scott Wersinger

"The articles in this issue give the reader an appreciation for the complexity of social behavior in all organisms, both in and outside the laboratory. The general principles illustrated by the specific examples apply to many other species, including other common laboratory animals. The experiences and insights presented here can help the reader to be more cognizant of the multitude of factors that influence social behavior but are beyond human senses and consciousness, and of the potentially dramatic impacts of these factors on the behavior and physiology of laboratory animals. Although the practical considerations discussed in this issue are in the context of social behavior, they also apply to many other fields and may usefully guide general husbandry practices in existing facilities and the design of new facilities."

Posted: January 16, 2009

A new Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) has been posted on the OLAW website at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/faqs.htm#protocol. This FAQ provides guidance on the topic “Does the IACUC have to review proposed animal research activities at the time of grant award if the animal research activities will not be conducted until year 4 or 5 of a grant?”

Posted: January 13, 2009

Guidance to IACUCs Regarding Use of Designated Member Review (DMR) for Animal Study Proposal Review Subsequent to Full Committee Review (FCR), has been published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts on January 8, 2009, NOT-OD-09-035. This Notice provides guidance to PHS awardee institutions on actions an IACUC may take following FCR. A related Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) has been posted in the Protocol Review section on the OLAW web page http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/faqs.htm#protocol.

Posted: January 8, 2009

Annual Reports for the period January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008 will be due to OLAW no later than January 31, 2009. In accordance with the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Policy), Part IV.F., and each Institution’s Animal Welfare Assurance, each institution is required to submit a written report to the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) at least once every twelve (12) months. Reporting periods coincide with the calendar year, unless a request was made in writing to OLAW for an alternate reporting schedule.   

Information to be reported consists of any change in the institution’s program of animal care and use, a change in the Institutional Official or IACUC membership, the dates that the IACUC conducted its semiannual evaluations of the program and facilities, and any minority IACUC member views. Only three attachments are required to accompany the annual report:

1. Roster of the IACUC members, only if there has been a change to the membership
2. Summary of any program changes
3. Any minority IACUC member view

If there have been no other changes to the animal program, then no other program elements are needed for the Annual Report. Please do not send semi-annual reports with the Annual Report unless they include a minority opinion (for guidance on minority views, see OLAW's Frequently Asked Question [http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/faqs.htm#report_6]). A Sample Annual Report Form can be found at the following URL on the OLAW website: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/sampledoc/rptprt.htm.If you have any questions regarding your report, please contact OLAW at 301-496-7163.

Annual Reports can be mailed, faxed or submitted electronically. OLAW prefers that the Annual Reports be faxed because our electronic fax system converts them to a PDF document for more efficient processing. The fax number for submitting the Annual Report is 301-915-9478. If you choose to submit your report by e-mail, please convert your signed Annual Report to PDF and e-mail to olawarp@mail.nih.gov. If you choose to send by mail, UPS or FedEx, please send to:
                    
OLAW Division of Assurances 
National Institutes of Health 
RLK 1, Suite 360 
6705 Rockledge Drive 
Bethesda, MD 20817

Documents submitted to OLAW are subject to release under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). OLAW’s FOIA FAQ can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/faqs.htm#report_4.