How to Administer Substances to Rats and Mice in Research
What document typically outlines the methods for substance administration in research involving rats and mice?
A) The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) guidelines
B) The Animal Welfare Regulations (AWR) set by the USDA
C) The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals published by the National Research Council (NRC)
D) The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) guidelines for laboratory animal care
Final answer:
The methods for substance administration in research involving rats and mice are outlined in The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) guidelines. This committee oversees the humane treatment of lab animals, the justifiable use of animals in research, and ensures that unnecessary duplicated research is minimized. Option A is correct.
Explanation:
Methods for substance administration in research involving rats and mice are typically outlined in The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) guidelines.
The IACUC is a committee that reviews all proposed animal research experiments at institutions receiving federal funding. This committee includes researchers, administrators, a veterinarian, and at least one person with no ties to the institution. It ensures the humane treatment of animal research subjects and that the research is not duplicated, while also minimizing discomfort for the animals.
Despite this, it's important to remember that the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (PHS Policy) are two primary regulations that govern biomedical research animals in the United States. However, the AWA does not cover rats, mice, and birds, which are most commonly used in laboratory experimentations.