I would like to know how strict is the animal ethical committee of your institution in controlling the number of animals? Does it limit the number of animals you use based in a prediction? I am asking this because our committee started to control strictly the number of animals used based in the prediction you made in your project. So you send a project or approval and you are limited by that number, if you need more you have to go trough the process again (like 1 month at least). Also they want us to ask protocols for approval even for pilot experiments. In my opinion this will slow down significantly the research and increase paperwork a lot unnecessarily. I don´t remember these kind of restrictions during my experiences in the US. How your IACUCs control the animals you use in your research? Is there any strict control like this? Do you think this is OK or an exaggeration?
Yep!! You can only use the number of animals you have in your protocol and anything you do to an animal has to be in the protocol. We have a large animal protocol with a large number of animals and several procedures. I have to send protocol modifications, in average, every two weeks.
You are right. The growing usage of animals in research draws public attention recently. The animal ethical committee of my institution (Bar-Ilan University, Medical School) is rigorous in controlling the number of animals. The committee limits the number of animals we use based upon empirical data and a formula that we apply to calculate the number needed for our experiments. Even the pilot experiments with a minimal number of animals have to be approved by the committee. In my previous lab (Haifa University) there were the same rules.
Personally, I believe that these rules are justified, absolutely correct, and are not exaggerated. Let us consider the animals as creatures! Fortunately, there are international standards and guidelines for the use and care of animals in scientific procedures…
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