Animal Care and Use Committee

Policy # 2
Approved March 1997
Amended January 2001

 

Use of Sedatives, Analgesics, and Anesthetics in Laboratory Animals

References:

U.S. Government Principles for the Care and Use of Animals Used in Testing, Research, and Training, 1983

Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, NRC, 1996

http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/labrats/

Animal Welfare Regulations (9 CFR, chapter I, subchapter A, Parts 1-4)

http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm

All-campus Animal Care and Use Committee policy 1999-10, Use of Sedatives, Analgesia, and Anesthetics in Laboratory Animals

 

Policy: Animals that may experience more than momentary or slight pain or distress require appropriate sedation, analgesia, or anesthesia unless there are suitable scientific justifications. Assessment of pain and distress in animals is difficult and can be subjective. As such, procedures that cause pain or distress in humans should be assumed to cause similar affects in animals, unless the contrary is established. The attending veterinarian has the authority to ensure the provision of adequate sedation, analgesia, or anesthesia.

Role of the Investigator

When animals may experience more than momentary or slight pain or distress, the investigator must provide in the animal care and use protocol a detailed description of how pain or distress will be assessed and how agents will be used to alleviate pain and distress. When animals are subjected to major survival surgery, routine provision of post-surgical analgesia is required. If the investigator feels it necessary to withhold sedatives, analgesics, or anesthetics or deviate from the recommendations of the veterinary staff, the investigator must provide the ACUC a reasoned, scientific justification for this action. The justification should include the rationale or evidence that the agents would compromise the scientific aspects of the research protocol. Investigators are highly encouraged to consult with the veterinary staff during the course of protocol planning to reach agreement concerning appropriate use of drugs for control of pain and distress.

Role of the Veterinary Staff and Laboratory Animal Resources (LAR)

The proposed use of methods or agents to prevent or alleviate pain or distress in experimental animals must meet the approval of the veterinary staff. The veterinary staff will consult with investigators as needed to arrive at appropriate methods of treatment that meet the clinical needs of the animals and do not compromise the scientific integrity of the experiments.

Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC) Oversight

The ACUC has ultimate responsibility for ensuring that pain and distress in research animals is limited to that which is necessary in the course of approved experimentation. This includes review and approval of methods and agents used for prevention and alleviation of pain and distress.. Committee decisions in this regard will be based on regulatory requirements as well as advice from the veterinary staff and the investigators. The ACUC will periodically review (at least every 3 years) protocols that involve pain or distress. The review will specifically assess methods and agents being used and deviations (if any) from this policy.

The PDF document below requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

02-Analgesia-Anesthesia.pdf

List of ACUC Policies