AALAS ALAT ManualChapter 1- History & Purpose of Laboratory Animal Science & Animal Care ProgramsTamara Goodman KuhelRVT, RLATG, CPIA

Review of Chapter 1

• Animal Experimentation• AALAS• Other Associations• Ethics of Animal Use• The Three Rs: Replacement, Refinement, & Reduction• Who has Benefitted from Research with Animals?• The Role of the Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician

in Research

• Aristotle’s animal observations laid foundation for comparative anatomy & embryology

• Erasistratus’ contributions to identifying veins/arteries/heart valves & understanding blood flow

• Galen established principles for experimental research• Little scientific advancement during Dark Ages• Renewed interest in scientific discovery during the

Renaissance• Significant number of major medical advances during

latter half of 19th century• 1915- 1st laboratory animal veterinarian• 1950s heralded beginning of laboratory animal

sciences as an organized field…

Animal Experimentation

Evolution of AALAS

Animal Care Panel

Southern Ohio Branch of

AALAS

Guide for the Care & Use of

Laboratory Animals

Association for the Assessment & Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care

American Association of

Laboratory Animal Science

Mattingly AALAS President

1950 1952/1963 1963 1965 1967 1983

“Chicago Five” Founding Fathers:

Brewer, Bond, Cohen, Flynn, &

Schroeder

1st Meeting held in Kettering

Laboratory in 1952; officially affiliated with

AALAS in 1963First edition of the Guide published

Animal Facilities Accreditation

Board becomes AAALAC

ACP becomes AALAS

UC’s own Dr. Steele Mattingly elected AALAS

President

ACP forms AALAS & AAALAC

• Principal means of communication between individuals & organizations within laboratory animal science

• Provides internationally recognized professional certification program for technicians

• Publications• Comparative Medicine• Journal of AALAS• Tech Talk• AALAS in Action

AALAS Today

Other Associations

• Association for Assessment & Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International

• National Association for Biomedical Research

• American Veterinary Medical Association

• American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine

• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

Ethics of Animal Use

• Definition of “ethics”• Principles of honor & morality• Accepted rules of conduct• Moral principles of an individual

• Knowledge gained for the benefit of humans AND animals more than justifies animal experimentation, but it must be done in an ethical manner & certain rules of conduct followed…the Three Rs

The Three Rs

• Replacement, Refinement, & Reduction• Based on Russell & Burch’s 1959 publication

“The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique”• Sought to minimize the increasing number of

animals being used in medical and veterinary research.

• Reports results from research on ethical laboratory techniques.

Replacement…the 1st R

• Replace experimental animals with alternatives when possible.• Computer models?• Grow cells artificially in the lab?• Use cells instead of whole animal? Collaborate?

Also example of reducing

• Replace with “lower” species? • Develop transgenic mice rather than using dogs? • Replace mice with zebrafish? Drosophila?

Refinement…the 2nd R

• Refine to reduce animal pain & suffering• Analgesia…

Give after animal is anesthetized so 2nd injection not felt?

• Training vs. Restraint deviceEspecially useful with nonhuman primates

• Enrichment?

http://www.forschung3r.ch/fr/publications/bu30.html

Reduction…the 3rd R

• Reduce number of experimental animals used.• Minimize the number of animals necessary to

yield statistically sound data & produce scientific benefit.

• Reduce total number of animals used by using and/or sharing animal tissue/cells.

• Good record keeping is critical for ensuring that the least possible number of animals is used in experiments.

Appropriate Selection of Species

Biomedical researchers study animals to understand both animals & humans

because of shared similarities

The Three Rs in the Guide• IACUC protocol must address availability or appropriateness of the

use of other species, isolated organ preparation, cell or tissue culture, or computer simulation (page 10)

• IACUC Protocol (page 10)• Justification for number of animals requested • Unnecessary duplication of experiments • Availability or appropriateness of the use of less-invasive

procedures • Appropriate sedation, analgesia, & anesthesia • Conduct of multiple major operative procedures

• Avoidance or minimization of discomfort, distress, & pain in concert with sound science (page 2)• Well trained care takers & researchers• Positive interactions between care takers & animals

• US Government Principle IV “Unless the contrary is established, investigators should consider that procedures that cause pain or distress in human beings may cause pain or distress in other animals.” (page 117)Anthropomorphism?

The Three Rs in the AWARs

IACUC review of activities involving animals (page 34)• Avoid or minimize discomfort, distress, & pain to the

animals;• Consider alternatives to procedures that may cause more

than momentary or slight pain or distress to the animals;• Assure activities do not unnecessarily duplicate previous

experiments;• Procedures that may cause more than momentary or slight

pain or distress to the animals will be performed with appropriate sedatives, analgesics or anesthetics;

• Animals that would otherwise experience severe or chronic pain or distress that cannot be relieved will be painlessly euthanized at the end or during the procedure;

• Personnel conducting procedures will be appropriately qualified and trained in those procedures;

• No animal will be used in more than one major operative procedure from which it is allowed to recover.

Who Has Benefitted from Animal Research?

Those who have used antibiotics to combat infections

Children & adults who have been immunized

Pet vaccines against rabies, leukemia, & more

Drugs to fight infections, parasites, & cancer (human & pet animal) have all been first

tested on research animals.

Polio Milestones…

Franklin D. Roosevelt & the March of Dimes

1st Known US Epidemic

1st Major US Epidemic

FDR Contracts Polio 1st Iron Lung

FDR Elected President

National Foundation for

Infantile Paralysis FDR dies

1894 1916 1921 1928 1932 1938 1945

Increasing number of outbreaks each year

Not just children at risk-

FDR was 39

Preserves breathing function in

patients with acute polio

FDR founds NFIP, now known as

March of Dimes April 12th

Polio Milestones…

Vaccines & Eradication

Worst US Epidemic

Salk’s Vaccine

Incidence of Polio ↓

Sabin’s Vaccine

Last Reported US Case

America Polio-Free

W. Pacific Polio-Free

Europe Polio-Free

1952 1952-1954 1955-1957 1962 1979 1994 2000 2002

57,800+ cases

reported

Injectable Polio

Vaccine

US Incidence ↓ 85-90%

Oral Polio Vaccine

Caused by wild virus

Americas certified

polio-free

W. Pacific certified

polio-free

European Region certified

polio-free

The Role of the ALAT in Research

Role of ALAT…• Regulatory guidelines require training of people caring

for & using experimental animals• Duties typically entail day-to-day animal husbandry &

facility maintenance (e.g. room sanitization, cage wash)• Sanitation & sterilization procedures• Observe & report changes in animal room

environment• Handle, restrain, & determine sex of common laboratory

animals• Recognize & report animal care problems,

differentiating between normal & abnormal• Perform various identification methods• Provide routine treatments (e.g. clipping toenails)

Role of ALAT…

• ALAT is member of research TEAM• Researchers depend on consistent & thorough animal

care• Be aware that changes in environment or handling of

animals can introduce variables to research projects• ALAT’s work has direct impact on experimental

data• Accurate records- Mistakes could invalidate data and/or

result in animal euthanasia (waste!)• Validates results• Must be able to maintain & provide accurate, legible

records for his/her areas of responsibility

Role of ALAT…

• Absolutely vital that ALAT learn to ask questions if there is any confusion as to a procedure to be performed.

• Mistakes on animal records, ear tag, improper dilution of disinfectant can all result in serious problems if not discovered & corrected.

• ALWAYS ASK if you are in doubt & notify your supervisor immediately if you discover a mistake.

Definitions• Animal Model

• Ethics

• Laboratory Animal Science

• Reduction

• Refinement

• Replacement

• Russell & Burch

• Three Rs

• Unconscious

Acronyms• AAALAC

• AALAS

• ACLAM

• ALAT

• AVMA

• NABR

• PETA

Acknowledgements

• AALAS 50 Years of Laboratory Animal Science• AALAS 2005 ALAT Manual• Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory

Animals• Animal Welfare Act Regulations • March of Dimes website• Numerous websites for images!