A. Committee Functions
Both the Public Health Service Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Animals ("The PHS Policy") and the Animal
Welfare Act require that Rutgers have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). To meet PHS policy, the committee must be composed of at least five members including a veterinarian, a scientist experienced in animal research and an individual unaffiliated with the institution. The Animal Welfare Act as amended requires a minimum of three members, to include a veterinarian and a person who "shall not be affiliated in any way with the facility other than as a member of the committee".The IACUC must evaluate the institution's overall animal research program and inspect all the sites where laboratory animals are located every six months; prepare a report on the evaluation and inspection and make recommendations to the appropriate institutional official (at Rutgers, the Associate Vice President for Research Policy and Administration); review grant applications and proposals in relation to animal care and use; and if necessary, suspend PHS-supported activities.
The IACUC, in its submission of semi-annual reports to the Associate Vice President for Research Policy and Administration, must describe the institution's adherence to the Guide, including reasons for any departure, distinguishing significant deficiencies from minor deficiencies, including a plan and schedule to correct any deficiencies.
When reviewing research protocols in relation to the care and use of laboratory animals, the IACUC must consider the procedures to be utilized; the use of analgesics or anesthetics, the method of euthanasia, the medical care that will be provided and the qualifications of the personnel involved in the research project.
The IACUC at Rutgers is called the Animal Care and Facilities Committee (ACFC).
B. The Animal Care and Facilities Committee
The Animal Care and Facilities Committee serves all Rutgers campuses. The ACFC serves in an advisory role to the Director of Laboratory Animal Services and the Rutgers administration in all matters related to animal care. The ACFC meets monthly during the academic year and as needed during the months of June, July, and August. Committee members are appointed by the Executive Office of the President and the committee meets PHS guidelines with respect to membership. Faculty appointments to the committee are made with a goal toward achieving a committee that is representative of the major research interests at the University, as well as being representative of all campuses and major departments using animals. The ACFC's functions include all of those required by PHS policy, including review of projects involving animals ("protocol review"), conduct of semi-annual reviews of facilities and the program
of animal care.All projects using vertebrate animals require approval prior to study initiation, regardless of species or source of funding, including pilot projects, agricultural research at Cook College, and field studies.
C. The Institutional Review Board for the Use and Care of Animals (no longer active)
From 1985 until April 1999, the Institutional Review Board for the Use and Care of Animals (IRB-UCA) was a subcommittee of the ACFC. The IRB-UCA had as its principle responsibility the review of all procedures using animals at the University. As of May 1999, there is only one committee, the ACFC, which has assumed the protocol review responsibilities of the IRB-UCA.
D. Campus Advisory Committees
On the Newark and Cook Campuses, there is a Faculty Advisory Committee that serves as a means of communication among LAS, the animal using faculty, and the departmental offices. These committees meet on an as needed basis to deal with issues of particular interest on their respective campus.
