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Response to Protocol Review Scenario: Gap between D and E

Lab Animal volume 38, pages 345–346 (2009)Cite this article

The exchange between Hendricks and Covelli highlights a gap in the USDA reporting requirements. Should institutions prospectively report the pain or distress category intended for a study, or retrospectively report the category based on the actual pain or distress experienced? Further, if the institution uses retrospective reporting and finds that animals unexpectedly experienced pain (with or without attempted analgesia), how should the animals be categorized if there was no prohibition to the use of analgesia?

Covelli should explain that there are requirements for the alleviation of pain in the Animal Welfare Regulations (AWRs) and other pertinent regulations. The AWRs, Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and USDA Policy #11 all require that pain or discomfort be limited to that which is unavoidable and that animals showing signs of pain or discomfort are given appropriate relief, unless written scientific justification is provided in the IACUC proposal1,2,3.

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References

  1. Animal Welfare Regulations. 9 CFR, Chapter 1, Subchapter A, Part 2, Subpart C, Section 2.31(e), 2.36,b, 5–2.35,b, 7.

  2. Public Health Service. Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC, 1986; amended 2002).

  3. US Department of Agriculture. Animal Care Resource Guide. Policy #11. (US Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC, 1997). <http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/downloads/policy/policy11.pdf>

  4. Karas, A. & Silverman, J. Pain and distress. in The IACUC Handbook 2nd edn. (Silverman, J., Suckow, M.A. & Murthy, S., eds.) (CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2007).

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  5. DeHaven, R.W. Panel discussion with all speakers. in Definition of Pain and Distress and Reporting Requirements for Laboratory Animals: Proceedings of the Workshop Held June 22, 2000. 96 (Institute for Laboratory Animal Research, National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2000).

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  6. Karas, A. Pain and distress caused by experimental procedures—is it time for a reality check? in Definition of Pain and Distress and Reporting Requirements for Laboratory Animals: Proceedings of the Workshop Held June 22, 2000. 39 (Institute for Laboratory Animal Research, National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2000).

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  7. National Research Council. Recognition and Alleviation of Pain in Laboratory Animals 51 (Institute for Laboratory Animal Research, National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2009).

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  1. Lofgren is a post-doctoral fellow with the Division of Comparative Medicine at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.,

    Jennifer Lofgren

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  1. Jennifer Lofgren
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Lofgren, J. Response to Protocol Review Scenario: Gap between D and E. Lab Anim 38, 345–346 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban1109-345b

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