The Leatherby Libraries offers Chapman University researchers articles, books, and other guidelines that have been published to help find ways to reduce, refine, or replace animal subjects in research. This guide is designed to introduce you to the process necessary to conduct an effective IACUC alternatives search using the library's resources.
The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) requires that investigators provide Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs) with documentation demonstrating that alternatives to procedures that may cause more than momentary pain or distress to the animals have been considered and that activities do not unnecessarily duplicate previous experiments. A thorough literature search regarding alternatives using relevant sources helps to meet this Federal mandate.
The USDA's Animal Welfare Information Center provides more in depth guidance as to how best to meet this requirement and outlines the requirements for conducting and reporting the results of a comprehensive literature search.
When submitting a protocol with Chapman University's IACUC you will be asked to name the databases searched, the dates when the search was performed, and the specific search terms used.