Snyder is justified in requesting full committee review of this protocol. Fuller's opinion that carbon dioxide euthanasia is stressful to the mice may be correct, but he has not provided scientific justification for his requests to transport mice to his lab and to use cervical dislocation for euthanasia. These are the two primary IACUC concerns in this case.

Regarding transport, Fuller states that neural tissues are delicate and must be used as quickly as possible but has not provided data to support his claim that a 10-minute delay is unacceptable. The institution has a policy governing removal of animals from the vivarium, and it is the IACUC's responsibility to enforce this policy and to require scientific justification for exemptions from it. The IACUC has the authority to request scientific data from Fuller to back up his claim that a 10-minute delay will affect his results1. If Fuller cannot furnish the data, a pilot study can be recommended to confirm Fuller's justification for transporting mice to his laboratory.

Regarding euthanasia, if Fuller feels that the stress of carbon dioxide euthanasia will affect the results of his study, then he should choose a method that is consistent with the goals of the project1. Although carbon dioxide asphyxiation and cervical dislocation are methods of euthanasia that are considered acceptable with conditions for small rodents, cervical dislocation requires a higher level of training and skill to perform, and thus additional oversight is needed to ensure that it is being done correctly2. If the IACUC approves his request for the use of cervical dislocation, it should observe Fuller carrying out the luxation technique to confirm his proficiency1.

As the attending veterinarian, Snyder is responsible for the health and well-being of all laboratory animals used at the institution3. If, in her opinion, transport of the animals to Fuller's lab will cause as much stress as carbon dioxide euthanasia (and thus negatively affect animal well-being), it is her duty to bring this to the attention of the committee1. The IACUC is also charged with assessing the effects of the proposed procedures on the animals' well-being, and so it is important that Snyder's concerns be considered by the committee3.

Although Fuller's requests are not unreasonable, he has not provided adequate scientific justification or demonstrated technical proficiency to support his requests. It is the IACUC's responsibility to ensure there is sound scientific justification for exceptions to the institution's policies and the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals. Plausible ideas are not sufficient justification; requests should be backed up by scientific data.

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