Policy on Tissue Harvesting from Anesthetized Animals
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) encourages tissue harvesting from euthanatized animals as a method of reducing the total number of animals used in approved biomedical research.
All aspects of rules and regulations for the care and use of animals will be maintained. Investigators with approved protocols are permitted to harvest tissues from animals at the time of euthanasia. Other investigators not listed on the approved protocol may also harvest tissue from the euthanatized animal with the approval of the Principal Investigator of the protocol, who retains primary authority and responsibility for the care and use of animals. However, the following stipulations must be observed:
- If any aspect of the care and use of live animals before euthanasia, or any aspect of its euthanasia/carcass disposal
is modified to meet the requirements of tissue harvesting, the original Principal Investigator of the approved protocol
must file a "Protocol Modification" form and receive approval of the IACUC. The form shall include the modification, its
purpose and the name(s) of the other investigator(s) who intend to harvest tissue.
- If the carcass contains radioactive, hazardous, infectious, or recombinant DNA material, other investigators who harvest
tissue from the carcass must request and receive approval from the Campus Radiation Safety Office and/or Safety and Risk
Management.
