COMPLIANCE WITH THE IACUC APPROVED PROTOCOL

Inspections and Audits: Federal regulations require that the IACUC members inspect all UCSF animal care facilities twice a year and prepare a written report for the Institutional Official detailing the results of their inspections. At least twice a year, an auditor from the USDA inspects the facilities that are used to house or perform procedures on animals covered by the USDA regulations. The goal of these auditing programs is to help ensure that the animal care and use program at UCSF is in full compliance with all the federal and university regulations governing the care of animals being used in research or instruction. Even more importantly, these audits assure that the welfare of the animals at UCSF is being attended to properly.

Compliance with the IACUC-Approved Protocol: In addition to inspecting for the health and care of animals, the auditors check to see if personnel are following the protocol, as approved by the IACUC, in conducting the study. By taking personal responsibility for knowing and following their IACUC-approved protocols, investigators can remain in compliance with all relevant animal research regulations. Auditors check that:

• All procedures described in the approved protocol are being followed.
• No procedures are being performed unless they are in the approved protocol.
All personnel who are performing procedures are listed in the approved protocol.
• All personnel involved in the study are appropriately trained.

If any discrepancies are found, the IACUC is required by federal regulation to take immediate and appropriate action, up to and including suspending the protocol until the deficiencies are corrected. Any suspensions of a protocol must be reported to the federal regulatory agencies (the USDA and/or the NIH Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare) and to the funding agencies involved. In addition, these suspensions may become a matter of public record.

For the animal care and use program at UCSF to be successful, all investigators must be committed to the success of the program and to conducting their studies in full compliance with the provisions of the IACUC-approved protocols.