OLAW, APHIS Revise Guidance Regarding IACUC Approval of Changes in Personnel Involved in Animal Activities

On 6 June, the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW), in consultation with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Animal Care, amended guidance provided in 1995 to Public Health Service (PHS) awardee institutions and IACUCs concerning approval of changes in personnel involved in animal activities2. Such changes were considered major by OLAW in the past and therefore required full-committee or designated-member review under the provisions of the PHS Policy and the USDA animal welfare regulations. The revised guidance allows such changes to be handled as follows:

“IACUCs may, by institutional policy, classify certain proposed additions and changes in personnel, other than the Principal Investigator, as 'minor' provided that an appropriate administrative review mechanism is in place to ensure that all such personnel are appropriately identified, adequately trained and qualified, enrolled in applicable occupational health and safety programs, and meet other criteria as required by the IACUC. The IACUC remains responsible for confirming that all IACUC review criteria regarding personnel training and qualifications are maintained and documented (PHS Policy IV,C,1 and 9CFR 1, chapter 1, Part 2, 2.31). Institutions will be held accountable for ensuring the performance-based outcome that all individuals involved in animal-related activities are competent to do so. This guidance is intended to provide substantial reduction of burden on IACUCs and research teams without diminishing the crucial oversight of personnel training and qualifications2.”