Procedures for Protocols
Please note that all applications and documentation submitted to the ACC should be completed on the updated versions of the documents found on our Forms web page.
Review Process
All new protocols using animals are reviewed at the Animal Care Committee (ACC) meetings held a minimum of four times per year. Applications that are submitted in between meetings will be considered for “interim approval” and signed by the Chair of the ACC. This will allow researchers to begin their project as soon as “interim approval” has been granted. Final approval will be considered at the next meeting of the ACC.
Please note: All student members listed on the AUPP are required to complete the Animal Training Modules, Laboratory Animal Student Training course, and Competency Assessment and will be required to provide proof of completion before the final approval of any new AUPP.
Duration of Approval and Yearly Renewals
In the event the project is to continue beyond one year, the researcher can “renew” ethics approval for each of the next three years using the revised Progress/Renewal Report form. Thus, if your AUPP was submitted as a new application in 2022, the Progress Report form can be used in each of the years 2023, 2024, and 2025. If you intend to continue the project beyond this, you must submit a final report and a full AUPP for this purpose before the approval expires in 2026.
Protocol Modifications
To be consistent with the CCAC guidelines, all personnel who will be involved in the use of animals under a specific project must be listed on the corresponding AUPP under the Personnel section. All subsequent changes (i.e., additions, changes, deletions) to personnel associated with the project must be registered with the ACC by using the Add/Remove Personnel Form and Request to Revise form. In the case of additions, the Request to Revise form must be filed with the ACC prior to the person beginning work on the project. This requirement also includes changes to undergraduate and graduate students associated with the project regardless of the duration.