Annual Review Tutorial
Section 1: Designee(s)
This section allows the principal investigator to designate any active personnel on their protocol to complete the annual review on their behalf.
- Multiple designees may be assigned for each protocol.
- Designee assignments are only valid for the current annual review.
- All e-mail notifications and correspondences will be sent to the principal investigator and assigned designee(s).
Note: The principal investigator maintains accountability for information provided on their behalf.
Section 2: Protocol Status
- Inactive: No animal use or holding has occurred during this reporting period. No further reporting necessary for this annual review.
- Active: Animal use or holding has occurred during this reporting period and is documented in this annual review.
- Close Request: Close the protocol as of the day the annual review is submitted. Animal use and reportable events during this period are documented in this annual review.
Note: If you choose to close the protocol, you must terminate (by approved methods) or transfer all remaining animals to approved protocols. To transfer animals to the Office of the University Veterinarian’s holding protocol, contact them directly.
Section 3: Protocol Changes / Problem
Rreview the approved protocol and provide a detailed description of any instances of protocol updates, deviations, and/or problems that occurred in the categories below.
3.1 Procedural Changes Not Previously Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Approved
Examples include:
- Procedures performed that are not described in the protocol.
- Procedures not performed exactly as approved in the protocol.
- Procedure frequency differing from the protocol.
- Administering or withholding a substance:
- At a dosage/amount not matching approved doses (higher or lower)
- Not listed on the protocol
- Via a route and/or location not approved in the protocol
- Changing the location where procedures are being performed.
3.2 Personnel or Funding Changes Not Previously IACUC Approved
Examples include:
- Updating personnel:
- Change in principal investigator
- Adding personnel not currently listed
- Removing personnel who have left the university or project
- Newly awarded funding not updated on the protocol.
3.3 Animal Number or Species Changes Not Previously IACUC Approved
- Using more animals than approved on the protocol.
- Using strains, breeds, or species not previously approved.
3.4 Pain or Distress Levels Higher Than Previously IACUC Approved or Reported
- Provide full explanation of incidents of increased pain/distress, then document the number of individuals affected in Section 4.
- Animals experiencing unrelieved pain or distress must be recorded under Pain Category E in Section 4.
3.5 Unanticipated Deaths Not Previously Reported to the IACUC
- Any spontaneous death or euthanasia due to health status not described as an anticipated endpoint.
- Provide detailed explanation for each incident.
- Animals that spontaneously die must be recorded under Pain Category E in Section 4.
Section 4: Pain Category and Animal Use Numbers
Pain Categories
Pain categories reflect the highest pain level the individual animal experiences.
Example 1: An animal begins in natural breeding only (Category B), is later used for embryo transfer (Category D), then dies unrelieved (Category E). The animal is counted once under Category E only.
Example 2: Three animals in a Category C group experience different outcomes: one dies spontaneously (Category E), one requires pain relief (Category D), and one completes the experiment with no complications (Category C). Each is counted in the category reflecting its highest pain level.
Counting Animals
An individual animal should only be counted once on a given protocol.
Example 1:
Protocol requests 15 animals.
Year 1: 5 used → report 5
Year 2: same 5 + 3 new → report 3
Year 3: same 8 + 7 new → report 7
Total = 15 animals used over three annual reviews.
Example 2:
An expiring protocol transfers 10 animals to its continuation protocol (approved for 20 animals). AR Year 1 reports 10 transferred animals.
Example 3:
A protocol transfers 55 animals from another approved protocol (total approved 250). AR Year 1 reports 55 transferred.
Animals to Count as Used
- Any animal purchased or transferred onto a protocol.
- Mice and rats born on a protocol at first live manipulation or no later than weaning.
- Xenopus tadpoles at first manipulation if > 4 dpf and no later than 58 dpf.
- All other animals born on a protocol at first live observation.