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Alternatives to Animal Experimentation Revisited
Sponsored by APS Animal Care and Experimentation Committee
Education Track

Before an animal research protocol is approved, the principal investigator must justify to the institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) that alternatives to animal use are not available and that the model chosen represents the most humane approach to achieving scientific goals.  Numerous laws, regulations, policy, and guidance from various sources influence IACUC decisions. Consequently, discussion about whether the researcher has adequately considered alternatives can sometimes be contentious. This symposium will highlight research considerations that may arise when reduction, refinement and replacement are weighed more heavily than the validity of the model in making IACUC decisions.  The session will also review technical and technological developments that serve simultaneously to advance science, reduce numbers of animals required, and refine in experimental technique.