topic 1: NACLAR

Question 1

4 sections of NACLAR guidelines

Answer 1

1. guiding principles
2. institutional animal care and use committee IACUC
3. training
4. occupational health and safety

Question 2

what do NACLAR guidelines promote?

Answer 2

• humane and responsible care and use of animals for scientific purposes in Singapore

Question 3

guiding principles (NACLAR)

Answer 3

• 3Rs
  1. replacement
  2. reduction
  3. refinement

Question 4

replacement (NACLAR)

Answer 4

• substitution of lab animals with a lower species less sensitive to pain and distress
• e.g. cell/tissue/organ cultures, invertebrates, microorganisms (living systems) or non-living systems

Question 5

use of cell/tissue/organ cultures (NACLAR)

Answer 5

• living system
• allows for the greatest control of environment (pH, temperature, nutrients, humidity etc. can all be controlled)
• HOWEVER, cells grown in this environment may not behave like normal tissue due to lack of interaction with other cells usually present in the body (e.g. immune cells)

Question 6

use of invertebrates (NACLAR)

Answer 6

• living system
• insects (drosophila spp.) are still able to provide important insight into the processes of living things
• HOWEVER, they may not be as similar to the human body compared to rodents (60% similarity, compared to rodents at 99%)

Question 7

use of microorganisms (NACLAR)

Answer 7

• living system
• acceptable models in metabolic, genetic and biochemical studies

Question 8

use of non-living systems (NACLAR)

Answer 8

• physical/mechanical: mannequins (CPR dummies)
• computer simulations: dummies with sensors and videos (crash test dummies) to replace live animal trauma testing
• environmental health monitoring: obtaining swabs from cages/racks and sending them for PCR testing instead of euthanising the animal (more accurate, less laborious, less cost, less emotional fatigue)

Question 9

reduction (NACLAR)

Answer 9

• use the minimum number of animals required to obtain scientifically valid results
• activities involving use of animals must not be duplicated/repeated/replicated unnecessarily
• manage breeding to minimise production of excess animals
• sharing of organs/tissues of euthanised animals for pilot studies (euthanised animal from 1 experiment goes to another investigator who may be looking to design an experiment, so that they can study it and select their group size carefully)
• reduction should NOT be at the expense of greater individual suffering

Question 10

reduction techniques (NACLAR)

Answer 10

• select group size carefully (pilot studies, power analysis)
• careful design of the experiment (appropriate choice of control groups, standardise procedures to minimise variables)
• maximising use of each animal (performing several terminal procedures per animal, euthanised animal can be used by another investigator, etc.)
• correct choice of model (use of healthy & genetically similar animals to decrease variability)
• minimising loss of animals (good post-op care, avoid breeding, plan ahead and order the appropriate number needed)
• statistical analysis (appropriate use of software that can generate maximum information from minimum animals)

Question 11

refinement (NACLAR)

Answer 11

• unless contrary to scientific evidence, we must assume that any procedure that is painful for a human will be painful for a mouse.
• minimise pain and distress by exploring less painful procedures
• use suitable chemical restraints for any procedures that can cause momentary pain or distress
• if an animal develops unpredicted pain or distress, the pain and distress must be alleviated asap
• if the pain cannot be alleviated promptly, the animal must be euthanised.
• if it is not possible to use anaesthetics or analgesia, the end-point must be as early as possible to minimise pain and distress
• protocols involving the use of animals must be as brief as possible while achieving the scientific goal
• may want to consider euthanising at the humane experimental endpoint (more than 15% weight loss, not able to eat/drink, etc)

Question 12

importance of complying with the 3Rs (NACLAR)

Answer 12

• less animal suffering and distress
• increases innovation, can discover new technology
• saves cost (smaller sample size, fewer animals)
• minimise potential variables when carrying out animal work (more accurate, boosts validity of data)

Question 13

role of institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC)

Answer 13

• Oversee, evaluate, and review the institution’s animal care and use program
• Ensure that all care and use of animals & animal-related procedures are in compliance with the guidelines
• Once a year: review all programs for the care and use of animals in a research facility , inspect the facility (housing, holding, procedure areas for animals)
• Review and investigate concerns, complaints or reports of non-compliance with guidelines
• Review/approve/suggest amendments to protocols in all ongoing or future projects
• Withdraw approval of/suspend protocols that are not being conducted in accordance to guidelines or are conducted differently from previously approved protocol