As we wrap up Member Appreciation Month, PRIM&R would like to highlight some of our members—individuals who work daily to advance ethical research on a daily basis. Today, we highlight Tyler Ridgeway, who works as the IACUC/IBC research compliance administrator at the University of Denver. Mr. Ridgeway shared with us what has shaped his professional experience so far and how PRIM&R events and programs connect him to the larger research ethics community. Read more
As we wrap up Member Appreciation Month, PRIM&R would like to highlight some of our members—individuals who work daily to advance ethical research on a daily basis. Today, we highlight Connor Bryant, Research Coordinator at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. Mr. Bryant shared with us what has shaped his professional experience so far and how PRIM&R events and programs connect him to the larger research ethics community. Read more
PRIM&R recently submitted comments in response to National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s March 14 request for information (RFI) on how best to improve the coordination of regulations and policies with respect to research with laboratory animals as prompted by a mandate in the 21st Century Cures Act. Comments on the RFI are due June 12, and I wanted to share what PRIM&R submitted in case the comments are helpful as you consider developing and submitting your own comments to NIH, which is coordinating the RFI with the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Read more
The keynote address at PRIM&R's IACUC Conference by Alison Rockett Frase and Dr. Martin (Casey) K. Childers really should have come with a Kleenex alert! Those of us in attendance all know that research with animals can lead to major advances in treatment for a variety of health issues. Hearing Ms. Frase’s firsthand account of her son's battle with a rare neuromuscular disorder and Dr. Childer’s follow-up description of their search for a treatment or cure for centronuclear and myotubular myopathies was truly inspiring. If you’ve not yet seen the video about their journey please stop what you are doing, close your office door, grab a hankie and watch their video. I dare say there were very few dry eyes in the room at the end of their presentation at IACUC18, and there was a communal feeling of wanting to shout: “Yes, Yes, Yes! This is why we do what we do!” Read more
The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and the Animal Welfare Act Regulations describe rules and best practices for animal care and use professionals to follow in order to ensure high welfare standards are upheld for animals used in research. When an IACUC finds something that diverges from these regulations and standards, it can be a challenge to know whether and where to report the issue. To complicate matters, OLAW and USDA APHIS use differing terminology to describe these occurrences, and have different requirements for reporting. A solid, systematic framework for understanding, sorting, and managing “exceptions” and “departures” can help IACUC administrators more effectively sort through complex issues of compliance. Read more
