Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Including other recommendations by the IACUC Office.
General Questions:
- What is the purpose of an Animal Care and Use program?
- I have expired/outdated drugs that need to be picked-up for disposal. Who do I contact?
Training:
Protocols and Amendments:
- What could happen if I perform procedures that are not covered by my protocol?
- What is the typical protocol turn-around time? What about for amendments?
- Do I have to contact the other "committees" (Radiation Safety Committee, BioSafety Committee, etc) on campus when my protocol involves work with hazardous materials?
- Do I need an animal care and use protocol if I will only be observing the animals in their natural environment (without manipulating their environment)?
- In my protocol, do I have to include the breeding animals, or just the experimental ones?
- For how long is my protocol approved?
- I will be collecting wild animals for my work at UC Davis. Do I need other authorizations besides one from the IACUC in the form of an animal care and use protocol?
- How do I make staff roster changes on my protocol?
- Why is a literature search required when writing a protocol?
Grant Information:
- I need the UC Davis Animal Welfare Assurance number for my grant application. What is that number?
- What is the UC Davis USDA Registration number?
- What is the UC Davis AAALAC Accreditation status?
Question:
What is the purpose of an Animal Care and Use program?
Answer:
Please see the IACUC Charge.
Question:
I have expired/outdated drugs that need to be picked-up. Who do I contact?
Answer:
Please visit the Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) webpage regarding the management of "Hazardous Materials".
What could happen if I perform procedures that are not covered by my protocol?
Answer:
The IACUC will review the protocol deviation and may send a letter to the Principal Investigator to communicate the importance of making sure that the actual work matches what is described in the protocol. The IACUC may also choose to suspend personnel or the entire protocol (please see the IACUC Policy on "Protocol Suspension"). Depending on the severity, the IACUC may be required to send a letter to the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) and also to the funding agency regarding the protocol deviation, and the funding agency may choose to withhold funding for the period of non-compliance. To prevent these from happening, please make sure that you do not perform procedures that are not already approved by the IACUC. You can submit an amendment to your protocol using the IACUC Online System. You can also read the OLAW's Guidance on this topic at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/faqs.htm#report_3 and at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-05-034.html.
What is the typical protocol turn-around time? What about for amendments?
Answer:
Typically, protocols take about five to six weeks to be approved from the time they are submitted to the IACUC. Amendments usually take about four weeks.
How often do I need to take the ACU 101 class?
Answer:
ACU 101 training is to be renewed every three years. If you are listed on an active protocol's staff roster, prior to the 3-year anniversary of your training date you will receive an email prompting you to update your training on-line.
Do I have to contact the other "committees" (Radiation Safety Committee, BioSafety Committee, etc) on campus when my protocol involves work with hazardous materials?
Answer:
Radiation Safety Committee:
If you will work with radioisotopes, then you'll need to make sure you have the appropriate authorization from the Radiation Safety Committee. If you have further questions, contact your liaison at the Environmental Health & Safety Office, 530-752-1493.
Institutional BioSafety Committee:
If you will work with pathogenic organisms, generate transgenic animal models that are not commercially available or have not been generated elsewhere and published in the literature, working with select agents, you will need authorization from the IBC. If you have further questions, contact your liaison at the Environmental Health & Safety Office, 530-752-1493.
Do I need an animal care and use protocol if I will only be observing the animals in their natural environment (without manipulating their environment)?
Answer:
No. UC Davis animal care and use protocols are only needed when you will be working with live vertebrate animals in a teaching and/or research activity on behalf of UC Davis.
In my protocol, do I have to include the breeding animals, or just the experimental ones?
Answer:
Breeding animals must be accounted for in your protocol. With laboratory rodents, even if they're just used in the backcrosses to generate the strain you need for your experiments, you must account for them in your protocol. For rodent pups, you can estimate the number of pups generated per litter and the expected number of generations before you obtain the transgenic strain that you need.
For how long is my protocol approved?
Answer:
Please refer to the IACUC policy on protocol renewals. (An Animal Care and Use Protocol is active for 3 years with annual renewals required).
I will be collecting wild animals for my work at UC Davis. Do I need other authorizations besides one from the IACUC in the form of an animal care and use protocol?
Answer:
This will be determined by the agencies involved. Please check with US Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Game, and/or any other agency which may govern work proposed in your Animal Care and Use Protocol.
How do I make staff roster changes on my protocol?
Answer:
Please use the Online Protocol and Amendment System to “Modify Protocol Staff Roster”. Please do not mix procedural change amendments with staff roster changes. However, for a change in Principal Investigator or Alternate Contact, please submit an amendment.
Why is a literature search required when writing a protocol?
Answer:
The PI must perform a literature search in order to ensure alternatives have be researched and considered for any aspect of the protocol that may cause more than momentary or slight pain or distress to the animal.
Alternatives to be considered include those that would;
1. Replace animals with non animal alternatives
2. Refine the procedures to minimize discomfort that the animal(s) may experience
3. Reduce the number of animal used overall
The literature search also helps to ensure the research proposal does not unnecessarily duplicate previous experiments.
I need the UC Davis Animal Welfare Assurance number for my grant application. What is that number?
Answer:
Grant applications often ask for an "PHS Animal Welfare Assurance Number". There is a single Assurance Number for the campus: A3433-01 (Valid until: March 31, 2011).
What is the UC Davis USDA Registration number?
Answer:
The UC Davis USDA Registration number is: 93-R-0433.
What is the UC Davis AAALAC Accreditation status?
Answer:
The UC Davis Animal Care and Use Program is Accredited by AAALAC International. Our AAALAC number is 000029. Our Accreditation date is: October 24, 2008.
Question:
How do I dispose of a Controlled Substance?
Answer:
Disposal of Contolled Substances is handled through Environmental Health and Safety. Send an email to haswaste@ucdavis.edu with the following information:
Who (name of Authorized Custodian)
What (name of substance)
How much (quantity for disposal)
Where (location of substance of pick up)
Contact Information (name & phone number)
The Hazardous Waste unit will contact you and make arrangements for pickup. If you have questions contact Jim Newman @ 752-9718.