Archives of AAALAC's January webinars
on implementing the new Guide now available:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW/PURCHASE THE WEBINAR FILES
AAALAC International recently hosted a series of webinars to help participants gain insight into AAALAC expectations for implementing the 8th edition of the Guide. This 4-module course covered key topics in the new edition. The four webinar modules included:
Module 1: Animal Care and Use Program
This module reviewed the key topics in Chapter 2 of the Guide; Animal Care and Use Program. The function of the IACUC was emphasized as well as institutional collaborations, personnel training, program oversight, occupational health and safety, protocol review, harm-benefit analysis, establishing humane endpoints, and unexpected outcomes and other select topics.
Module 2: Environment, Housing and Management
This module reviewed key topics in Chapter 3 of the Guide; Environment, Housing and Management. Topics of discussion included relative humidity, VAV systems, recycled air, social housing, cage and pen space, environmental enrichment and aquatics.
Module 3: Veterinary Care
This module reviewed important topics in Chapter 4 of the Guide; Veterinary Care. Key elements of this chapter included the role of the Attending Veterinarian and the overall program of veterinary care, procurement, transportation, breeding colonies, surgical training, presurgical planning, aseptic technique and intraoperative monitoring.
Module 4: Physical Plant
The final module in the series covered key topics in Chapter 5 of the Guide; Physical Plant. Topics discussed included animals in laboratories, doors, windows, floors, temperature control and failsafe, HVAC minimum function, lighting and override systems, storage, vibration, rack washer safety, environmental monitoring, surgery in laboratories, barrier facilities, imaging facilities, and behavioral studies.
Archives of the modules are available for purchase online at: http://eo2.commpartners.com/users/aaalac/
AAALAC will host second European Conference in Germany in 2012
Save the date! AAALAC International will host its second European conference, "AAALAC Accreditation in the New European Framework," September 11, 2012, in Aachen, Germany.
The AAALAC Conference will be held in conjunction with the GV-SOLAS meeting (taking place September 12-14). More details will be announced in the coming weeks. (Questions, please contact jguillen@AAALAC.org.)
AAALAC's Expectations for Implementing the 2011 Guide;
Temporary Suggestions for Improvement
AAALAC International has determined that institutions will be granted a phase-in period to make the necessary program modifications to conform with new "must" statements in the 8th Edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Guide), NRC 2011. For a period of one year from AAALAC’s implementation of the 2011 Guide (i.e., until September 1, 2012), new "must" statements will be categorized as a “Temporary Suggestion for Improvement.” If your institution received a Temporary Suggestion for Improvement following your most recent site visit, you must address the concern in post site visit communication, by independent correspondence, or in your Annual Report (if it is submitted prior to September 1, 2012). Although your accreditation status will not initially be impacted by findings classified as Temporary Suggestions for Improvement, Council will review your response to these items and advise if the response is satisfactory or if additional actions may be necessary. By the conclusion of this one year transition period, it is expected that corrective actions will be complete and that the issue has been resolved. Temporary Suggestions for Improvement remaining uncorrected on September 1, 2012 will be considered Mandatory items for correction in accordance with the Guide and may affect your accreditation status.
The single exception to this timetable is that the phase-in period for significant equipment replacement (such as rabbit cages to accommodate 16" cage height and nonhuman primate caging) is extended to three years (i.e., until September 1, 2014). AAALAC recognizes that, depending on the number of cages needing to be replaced, accredited institutions may not have all cages replaced to meet the 2011 Guide standards within the three year period. In such a case, the institution will be expected to provide AAALAC with a plan and a deadline for implementation of the plan. Equipment concerns not addressed and observed during the next site visit will be classified as Mandatory items for correction in accordance with the Guide.
Using the 2011 Guide in the conduct of semiannual program reviews and facility inspections
The Council on Accreditation’s implementation of AAALAC’s Three Primary Standards, including the 2011 Guide, began with site visits conducted during the Fall Trimester 2011. Institutions participating in the AAALAC International accreditation program have one year to implement changes to their animal care and use programs (i.e., September 1, 2012) related to most new "must" statements in the 2011 Guide. During this year-long period of transition, Council expects that at least one program review and facility inspection will be conducted by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (or comparable oversight body) using the 2011 Guide.
Removal of outdated Position Statement
With the publication of the 8th Edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (NRC 2011), AAALAC International has determined that the Position Statement on "Multiple Major Surgical Procedures" is outdated and thus has been removed from the list of approved Position Statements (http://www.aaalac.org/accreditation/positionstatements.cfm). AAALAC notes that the 2011 Guide contains a discussion of "Multiple Survival Surgical Procedures" that includes both major and minor procedures (see pg. 30).
AAALAC adopts two new Reference Resources
Reference Resources are formally reviewed and adopted by the Council on Accreditation and assist site visitors as they evaluate animal programs. AAALAC's Council recently adopted two new Reference Resources:
AAALAC relies on Three Primary Standards for evaluating laboratory animal care and use programs: the 8th Edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Guide, NRC 2011); the Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching (Ag Guide, FASS 2010); and the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals Used for Experimental and Other Scientific Purposes, Council of Europe (ETS 123). AAALAC also refers to other specialty publications for supplemental information about procedures or techniques related to the care and use of laboratory animals. These specialty publications are designated as Reference Resources. Reference Resources, first established by AAALAC in 1975, are intended to serve as references and guidelines for laboratory animal care and use programs. To view the entire list of Reference Resources visit: http://www.aaalac.org/accreditation/resources.cfm
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Dr. Anne-Dominique Degryse (right) receives the Bennett J. Cohen award from Dr. Sonya Sobrian who presented the award on behalf of AAALAC's Board of Trustees.
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AAALAC honors Dr. Anne-Dominique Degryse with the Bennett J. Cohen Award
At its annual meeting of the Board of Trustees, AAALAC International presented its highest honor, the Bennett J. Cohen Award, to Dr. Anne-Dominique Degryse, DVM, Dip ECLAM, Hon DACLAM. The Bennett J. Cohen Award recognizes outstanding individuals who have provided exceptional service and significant contributions to AAALAC International, and have demonstrated a strong and abiding commitment to advancing science through the promotion of the highest standards of laboratory animal care in research, testing, and education.
"Dr. Degryse has demonstrated a consistent commitment to, and illustrious career in advancing the quality of laboratory care for animals used in research, testing and education," said Dr. Sonya Sobrian who presented the award on behalf of AAALAC's Board of Trustees.
Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Degryse has made significant contributions to the mission and work of AAALAC International. In 1993 Dr. Degryse became an ad hoc Specialist for AAALAC, and in 1995 served as a member of the Strategic Planning Committee which was responsible for the recommendation to expand the AAALAC accreditation program beyond the United States. In 1997 Dr. Degryse was the first European to be nominated to serve on AAALAC's Council on Accreditation. In this position, she played a key role in assisting the AAALAC Executive Office in establishing the European Council Section in 2004, and became the first European Section Leader. She has served 12 years on the Council on Accreditation and is a valued Council Emeritus member. Dr. Degryse is co-author of the French translation of the 7th Edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and the NRC publication "Guidelines for the Use of Animals in Neuroscience and Behavioral Research." She was actively involved in the revision of Directive 86/609/EEC regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes, and represented ESLAV and ECLAM in discussions at the European Commission. Currently Dr. Degryse is the Head of Laboratory Animal Resources for the Centre De Recherche Pierre Fabre in Castres Cedex, France.
During the award ceremony, colleagues added their praises for Dr. Degryse’s contributions ...
“Anne is well known in the world of veterinary and laboratory animal medicine, and also in regulatory and scientific circles. Anne's dedication to animal welfare is reflective of her kind, gentle and giving personality.” said Dr. Alan Rosenquist, Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania and long-time colleague of Dr. Degryse.
Dr. Dale Martin, another long-time colleague who is currently the Global Head of Standards and Innovation, Animal Research and Welfare, for sanofi-aventis, Bridgewater, also spoke about Dr. Degryse’s contributions. “Tonight we honor a talented laboratory animal clinician, scientist, trainer, and mentor who has worked miracles in nurturing, growing and transforming the specialty of laboratory animal medicine in France and then in Europe. In addition, she has made tremendous contributions globally. Specifically, she shared her expertise, excellent judgment, lively intellect, good humor and became a highly valued colleague and trusted friend to hundreds in the field. She worked especially closely with over 50 laboratory animal specialists who served with her on the AAALAC Council in North America and in Europe. Over the last ten years Anne has played a primary role in transforming AAALAC into AAALAC international,” Dr. Martin said.
AAALAC’s Senior Director and Director of European Activities Dr. Javier Guillen added “Anne has been everything for the AAALAC in Europe, she was the first European on Council, the first leader of the European Section of the Council, and not only my mentor but also the mentor and the mother of the whole European Council. I think that I can say on behalf of the European side of AAALAC, and by extension on behalf of AAALAC in general, that AAALAC won the lottery by having Anne with us all this time,” Guillen said.
Please join with us in congratulating Dr. Degryse on receiving this honor!