Annual Reviews
Introduction
The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) requires that all approved animal work is reviewed by the IACUC no less than annually. As a result, the OSU IACUC requires that an annual review is submitted for all active Animal Use Protocols.
Due Date Notification and Annual Review Screening
Principal Investigators are currently notified of upcoming annual reviews in the following manner:
- Notification sent ~2 months prior to review date (mail & email)
- Reminder sent ~1 month prior to review date (mail & email)
- Notice sent that AUP will expire ~2 weeks from review date (mail & email)
If a completed annual review is not received by the annual review due date, the protocol will be processed for expiration.
Once an annual review is received, it is screened according to two basic categories: animal use information and personnel requirements. These two categories are evaluated as follows:
Animal Use Information:
- Verification that appropriate sections have been completed
- Verification that species listed are already covered under the protocol
- Verification that housing locations are either in ULAR vivaria or approved satellite housing areas
- Verification that surgery areas for USDA regulated species (warm blooded animals excluding mice of genus Mus, rats of genus Rattus, and domesticated poultry) are in ULAR or are approved exceptions
- Verification that listed procedures are already covered under the protocol
Personnel requirements:
- Completion of animal use training and occupational health training within the past 3 years for all individuals listed on the annual review (including the PI)
- Completion of the occupational health registry for all individuals listed on the annual review
- Completion of the financial conflict of disclosure within the past financial year for all individuals listed on the annual review
- Completed personnel forms for any added individuals
Discrepancies and Requirements
If there is any discrepancy in animal use information or if any personnel requirements are missing, the PI and any identified additional contacts will be notified. The IACUC staff will check the status of all annual reviews not ready for approval on a weekly basis and send email reminders as appropriate. The IACUC staff will attempt to contact the Principal Investigator via telephone if items remain unresolved at approximately one week from the review date or one week from the date the annual review must be sent to the IACUC, whichever date occurs first.
Annual Review Outcomes
Possible outcomes for an annual review are indicated below:
- Outright approval: This will occur if there are no discrepancies, missing information, or missing personnel requirements. Approval will occur on the next available date in the IACUC review cycle.
- Approval following completion of personnel requirements: If missing personnel requirements are satisfied prior to the annual review date the annual review will be approved on the next available date in the IACUC review cycle.
- Approval following incorrect/incomplete information resolution: If any discrepancies are resolved or missing information is provided prior to the annual review date, the annual review will be approved on the next available date in the IACUC review cycle.
- Approval with removal of personnel missing requirements: If missing personnel requirements (not including PI personnel requirements – see next outcome) are not satisfied prior to the annual review date, the individual(s) will be removed and the annual review will be approved. The PI and removed personnel will be notified. Personnel will be added back on to the protocol once the IACUC staff verifies that the missing requirements have been completed. Personnel being added to the protocol through the annual review will not be added until missing requirements are completed.
- Protocol expiration: The protocol will be processed for expiration if missing requirements (PI only) are not completed on the annual review date or if discrepancies in animal use information are not resolved on the annual review date. If a protocol expires, a new protocol submission will be required before work can be resumed.
