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Office of Animal Welfare

Reassignment of Non-Human Primates

​​​Background

Non-human primates (NHPs) are long-lived animals, with lifespans of 25 years or more in captivity. In addition, all NHPs at the WaNPRC are listed in CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) Appendix II, which means that trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with species survival (http://www.cites.org/eng/disc/how.php). In order to make best use of this scarce resource, animals may be reassigned from one IACUC protocol to another, when appropriate.

The Guide1 clearly states, “Principal investigators are strongly discouraged from advocating animal reuse as a reduction strategy, and reduction should not be a rationale for reusing an animal or animals that have already undergone experimental procedures especially if the well-being of the animals would be compromised.” The IACUC has the responsibility to oversee the reassignment of nonhuman primates in order to assure that the University of Washington complies with current regulations and guidelines. It also has the responsibility to determine whether the well-being of an animal would be compromised or the animal would be distressed by further experimentation2.

Policy

For most reassignment requests, the responsibility for approval of reassignment has been delegated to the veterinarians of the WaNPRC. In some situations, the AV must approve reassignment. Conditions requiring AV approval include:

  • Reassignment of any animal with a history of one or more experimental major survival surgical events (Note: in general, major clinical surgeries do not apply to this category)
  • Reassignment of any animal who has received total body irradiation
  • Reassignment of an animal to a tether study after already being on a tether study
  • Reassignment after undergoing any USDA Category E procedure
  • Upon request of any WaNPRC veterinarian
  • Exceptions to the requirement for AV review are:
    • when the requested assignment does not include any potentially-painful survival procedures
    • when an IACUC-approved blanket exemption already covers the requested reassignment

NOTE: Any animal that has had a previous major experimental surgery on one protocol cannot be considered for another protocol that has a major experimental survival surgery unless prior IACUC-approval and a USDA exemption have been obtained.

Reassignment Workflow & Approval Process

All NHP reassignment requests are submitted to the WaNPRC Administrator of Program Operations (or designee) who will establish eligibility for the request by doing the following:

  • Verifying that the species, number of animals, and specific demographic requirements are part of the approved IACUC protocol
  • Reviewing medical records (including clinical and research procedures) of any animal requested for reassignment to determine if the animal is suitable for the request
  • Note any clinical surgeries that may affect the requested reassignment (e.g., a finger amputation when full dexterity is required for behavior tasks, or castration/ovariectomy when normal hormonal influences are required)
  • Determine if AV approval is necessary based on nature of request and above criteria

After review by the Administrator of Program Operations (or designee), animals identified as potential candidates are referred to Veterinary Services and Behavior Management Staff for reassignment exams. Minimally, these exams consist of:

  • Review of each animal’s clinical, behavioral and experimental history
  • Complete physical examination, including hematology and serum chemistry evaluation by a veterinarian with training and experience in primate medicine, within 30 days of assignment
  • An evaluation by a behaviorist

These exams are not required if the only procedures to be performed on the protocol occur as part of a terminal event, however a records review by a WaNPRC veterinarian must still occur to ensure that the animal is appropriate for terminal use. Similarly, the exam may be waived by the veterinarian if the animal is being transferred between protocols within the same research group and no experimental procedures have been performed. ​

The IACUC will review NHP reassignments as part of the semi-annual review process.

References

  1. National Research Council (U.S.). Committee for the Update of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. & Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (U.S.). Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, xxv, 220 p. (National Academies Press, Washington, D.C., 2011).
  2. Tardiff SD, Coleman K, Hobbs TR, Lutz C. IACUC review of nonhuman primate research. ILAR Journal, 54, 234-245, 2013. doi: 10.1093/ilar/ilt040

Approval/Review Dates

Originally A​​​pproved: 02/19/2015
Last Reviewed/Revised by the IACUC: 02/16/2023

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