Which IACUC review type applies to minor administrative changes that do not affect animal care or well-being?

• A. Full Committee Review
• B. Administrative Review
• C. Designated Member Review
• D. Expedited Review

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that some changes to an approved protocol don’t touch how animals are cared for or their welfare, so they don’t require the same level of review as larger changes. When changes are purely administrative and have no impact on animal care or well-being, they can be handled through Administrative Review. This route allows an administrative official (often the IACUC chair or administrator) to approve the change without convening the full committee, since there’s no new risk or alteration to procedures affecting the animals.

Full Committee Review is reserved for alterations that could affect animal welfare or involve more than minimal risk, requiring committee discussion and approval. Expedited Review applies to certain minor-risk changes that still involve the protocol but do not require full committee deliberation, usually for specific categories of amendments. Designated Member Review involves review by a designated IACUC member for some amendments, but administrative changes that don’t affect care are best handled administratively rather than by a designated member.