Under the Public Health Service Policy, what is required for institutions receiving federal funds in relation to animal care?

• A. IACUC oversight with protocol review, adherence to the Guide and 3Rs, and an approved Assurance with OLAW.
• B. A panel of external reviewers audits only the financial records.
• C. Annual facility inspections by the local health department are the sole requirement.
• D. No formal oversight is required for institutions receiving federal funds.

Answer: (A)

The requirement is formal oversight and committed compliance for any institution receiving federal funds to support animal work. This means an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) must review and approve all proposed animal use before it begins, and provide ongoing oversight of the program and protocols. The institution must follow the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals as the standard for humane care, and apply the 3Rs—Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement—in its practices. In addition, the institution must have an Assurance filed with the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) to document and monitor compliance with the Public Health Service Policy. The other options don’t capture this comprehensive framework: auditing only financial records, relying solely on local health department inspections, or lacking formal oversight would not meet the PHS requirements.