Which agencies may require reporting of noncompliance with animal welfare regulations?

• A. NIH/FDA
• B. EPA/DEA
• C. OLAW/USDA
• D. OSHA/CDC

Answer: (C)

When animal research is regulated, the bodies with mandatory reporting duties are the ones that oversee animal welfare. The Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) handles compliance with the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and institutions must report significant noncompliance to OLAW (especially for PHS-funded work). The United States Department of Agriculture enforces the Animal Welfare Act, and facilities covered by the Act must report noncompliance to USDA’s APHIS. Other agencies like OSHA, CDC, EPA, DEA, or FDA/NIH aren’t the primary authorities for reporting animal welfare noncompliance, so the two agencies most likely to require such reporting are OLAW and USDA.