Setting up an Institutional Animal Care and Use Commitee at Dr. Ricardo Gutierrez Children's Hospital

GULIN, JEN; CRUZ, M; GARCÍA BOURNISSEN, F; GRISPON, R; NOWICKI, S; DE MATEO, ELENA

Mar del Plata

Congreso; V Congreso Nacional de la Asociación Argentina de Ciencia y Tecnología de Animales de Laboratorio; 2016

Asociación Argentina de Ciencia y Tecnología de Animales de Laboratorio

Laboratory animals are an invaluable tool for biomedical research as much of the current scientific knowledge is obtained from preclinical studies. However, animal use entails an ethical and social responsibility, considering alternatives to animal employment, applying strategies to minimize animal use and refining procedures to avoid or reduce pain and stress.Regulations regarding care and use of laboratory animals are increasing, requiring protocol approval to publish and to seek funding from national and international organizations.Currently, there are two Institutes from CONICET at "Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez" Children's Hospital (HNRG), and several research groups use animals in their projects. Hence, the establishment of an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) was proposed to evaluate the protocols that include animal use as well as the institutional animal care and use program.The IACUC is formerly composed of professionals from different biomedical areas: physicians, biochemists, veterinarians and laboratory animal technologists. The activities for self and institutional training include: seminars related to the 3Rs principles, bioethics and legislation, experimental design and sample size determination and protocol evaluation provided by IACUC members and special guests. Besides, a form for protocol submission was prepared and made available on-line at the Hospital?s Education and Research Committee (CODEI) website.Since its establishment, in March 2016, the IACUC has met 10 times, evaluated four protocols and given one institutional seminar about proper protocol submission. It is expected that the IACUC will support the work of professionals and researchers from HNRG, CODEI and Ethics Committee. One of the priorities of IACUC will be the continuous training for students and researchers from our hospital, thus contributing to obtain reliable and repeatable results within an ethical framework ensuring the welfare of laboratory animals involved.