Greene M E, Pitts M E, James M L
Michigan State University, IACUC Office A620 E Fee Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
ILAR J. 2007;48(2):131-42. doi: 10.1093/ilar.48.2.131.
Institutions are required by federal laws and regulations to oversee and evaluate their programs, facilities, and procedures for using animals in research, teaching, and/or testing activities. These responsibilities are specifically charged to an institutional official (IO) and an institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC). Initially, the individuals tasked with these responsibilities seldom have the requisite knowledge or experience to fulfill their charges effectively. Furthermore, simply reading the regulatory requirements does not prepare the novice IO and IACUC members to effectively monitor and guide the program. As a result, many new IOs and IACUC members are managing their responsibilities with insufficient understanding of the laws, regulations, standards, and policies. Specific training strategies for inexperienced IACUC members are needed to help them understand their responsibilities for ensuring animal welfare through an effective, high-quality, and compliant animal care and use program that supports the critical research needed to improve human and animal health. Likewise, most IOs would benefit from training to help them better understand their responsibility for enhancing or maintaining the quality of the institution's animal care and use program. Education and training should begin with an orientation to the laws, regulations, standards, and policies. Continuing training and education are also important to keep abreast of the changes in the interpretation of these laws and regulations as well as the changes in veterinary science. For both the IO and the IACUC, understanding and acceptance of their authority and responsibilities are significant factors in establishing and maintaining a quality animal care and use program.
联邦法律法规要求各机构监督和评估其在研究、教学及/或测试活动中使用动物的项目、设施和程序。这些职责具体由机构官员（IO）和机构动物护理与使用委员会（IACUC）承担。最初，负责这些职责的人员很少具备有效履行职责所需的知识或经验。此外，仅仅阅读监管要求并不能让新手IO和IACUC成员做好有效监督和指导项目的准备。因此，许多新的IO和IACUC成员在履行职责时，对法律、法规、标准和政策的理解不足。需要针对缺乏经验的IACUC成员制定具体的培训策略，帮助他们通过一个有效、高质量且合规的动物护理与使用项目来理解自己在确保动物福利方面的责任，该项目应支持改善人类和动物健康所需的关键研究。同样，大多数IO也将从培训中受益，以帮助他们更好地理解自己在提升或维持机构动物护理与使用项目质量方面的责任。教育和培训应从对法律、法规、标准和政策的介绍开始。持续的培训和教育对于跟上这些法律法规解释的变化以及兽医学的变化也很重要。对于IO和IACUC而言，理解和接受其权力与职责是建立和维持高质量动物护理与使用项目的重要因素。
