Inter-institutional Agreement for Care and Use of Vertebrate Animals

Collaborations among institutions can bring greater expertise and resources to address vertebrate research, teaching or outreach objectives. However, such collaborations can result in uncertainty about which individuals and institutions are responsible for oversight and activities pertaining to the humane care, use and final disposition of vertebrate study subjects. Inter-institutional Agreements are intended to assure that collaborative activities using vertebrate animals receive appropriate Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) review, that all parties involved are aware of their respective roles in providing for humane care and use of study subjects, and that a communication system is in place to meet federally required compliance and reporting requirements (e.g., facility inspections, biannual review of protocols, protocol modifications)