NIH Guide Notice NOT-OD-15-139 announces a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between NIH and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The MOU affects institutions receiving NSF funding for activities involving animals. Effective October 1, 2015, institutions receiving NSF support must:

1. Include NSF-supported activities with live vertebrate animals as covered activities in their OLAW Animal Welfare Assurance; and
2. Promptly report situations involving NSF-supported animal activities to OLAW as required by the PHS Policy Section IV.F.3. 

The Scientists Center for Animal Welfare (SCAW) will present an IACUC Training Workshop on September 18, 2015 in New York, NY. SCAW developed this one-day educational workshop for experienced Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) members and administrators, principal investigators, attending veterinarians, regulatory personnel and laboratory animal care staff. The program focuses on topics relevant to IACUC functions and provides opportunities for small discussion groups and sharing of information among participants.

Join the IACUC Administrators Association (IAA) in celebrating the 10 Year Anniversary of the IACUC Administrators Best Practices Meeting on August 26-27, 2015 in State College, PA. This anniversary meeting will explore what has been accomplished and learned over the past 10 years in the humane care and use of laboratory animals. Other elements of the program include discussions on select topics such as use of non-pharmaceutical-grade substances, handling significant changes, conducting designated member review, training methods, and more.

An NIH Regional Seminar on Program Funding and Grants Administration will be held October 14-16, 2015, in San Diego, CA. These seminars bring together NIH & HHS experts with members of the extramural research community to share and learn on topics such as Grant Writing for Success, Peer Review, grants policy, animals, humans, compliance, research integrity, R&D contracts, small business opportunities, special NIH initiatives, grants management and program information, and so much more.

IACUC 101/301 Workshops will be held September 3-4, 2015 in Honolulu, HI.

IACUC 101: The Basics is a one-day didactic and interactive exploration of IACUC fundamentals appropriate for new and seasoned IACUC members, IACUC affiliates, and individuals responsible for their institution's animal care program. The course provides a basic yet comprehensive overview of the laws, regulations, and policies that govern the humane care and use of research animals.

NIH Guide Notice NOT-OD-15-109 provides guidance on the qualifications necessary for an individual to serve as a nonscientific or nonaffiliated member of the IACUC. PHS-Assured institutions are expected to implement and comply with this guidance by the 2015 annual report, due January 31, 2016, or by the next Assurance renewal, whichever comes first.

OLAW has updated guidance on the qualifications of the IACUC nonscientific and nonaffiliated members in NIH Guide Notice NOT-OD-15-109. The Notice provides background on the PHS Policy requirements for IACUC members, clarifies the Policy’s intent to have a diversity of perspectives in the membership of the committee, and provides guidance on the qualifications necessary for an individual to serve as a nonscientific or nonaffiliated member.

Join OLAW for a webinar, Regulatory Considerations for Using Pharmaceutical Products in Research Involving Laboratory Animals, on June 4, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm ET. Guest speakers Dorothy Bailey and Neal Bataller from the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine will discuss the legal options for use of drugs in laboratory research animals and the regulatory status of drugs.