Clarification of Position Statements on Implementation of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals: Eighth Edition

Notice Number: NOT-OD-12-112

Key Dates
Release Date: June 1, 2012

Related Notices
NOT-OD-12-020: Adoption and Implementation of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals: Eighth Edition
NOT-OD-11-082: Consideration of Public Comments on Proposed Adoption and Implementation of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals: Eighth Edition
NOT-OD-11-066: Additional Extension of Comment Period on Proposed Adoption and Implementation of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals: Eighth Edition and Removal of Character Limit for Comments
NOT-OD-11-056: Extended Comment Period on Proposed Adoption and Implementation of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals: Eighth Edition
NOT-OD-11-042: Public Comment Period Open on Proposed Adoption and Implementation of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals: Eighth Edition
NOT-OD-10-102: Update of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals

Issued by
National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Purpose

This Notice announces that NIH has clarified the Position Statements that it released in December 2011. A similar notice will be published in the Federal Register. NIH is providing clarification after analyzing public comments received regarding the 10 Position Statements that were developed to aid Assured institutions in their implementation of the 8th Edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Guide). In response to those comments, NIH has clarified Position Statements: 1) Cost, 2) Housing, 2a) Nonhuman Primate Housing, 2c) Rodent Housing and 3) Non-Pharmaceutical-Grade Substances. For a summary of changes, see the May 2012 Update Summary (PDF). For reference, an archive of the original version is available for download at December 2011 Position Statements (PDF). Clarification was also added to the related OLAW Frequently Asked Questions: G11, F16, F14, F10 and F4.

Background

Since 1985, the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, authorized by P.L. 99-158, 42 U.S.C. 289d, and incorporated by reference at 42 CFR 52.8 and 42 CFR 52a.8, has required that institutions receiving PHS support for animal activities base their animal care and use programs on the current edition of the Guide. The 8th Edition of the Guide was published in January 2011 by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences. Following a public comment period, NIH adopted the 8th Edition of the Guide in December 2011 and released 10 Position Statements to aid PHS-Assured institutions in their implementation of the Guide. The public was invited to submit comments on their understanding of the Position Statements from December 1, 2011 to February 3, 2012. NIH received a total of 44 comments: 26 responses were from those who identified themselves as individuals, 6 were from PHS Assured institutions, 2 were from animal advocacy organizations and 9 were from professional organizations. (View the comments.)

Inquiries

For questions or further information, contact:

Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare
Office of Extramural Research
National Institutes of Health
RKL1, Suite 360
6705 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD  20892-7982
Phone:  301-496-7163
Fax:  301-915-9481
E-mail:  olaw@od.nih.gov
Web:  http://olaw.nih.gov/


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