Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and Regulations for Biomedical Research Animals

What animals does the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) cover in terms of regulations for biomedical research?

Choose the correct option:

a) Dogs, cats, and nonhuman primates

b) Rats, mice, and birds

c) Rabbits, dogs, and cats

d) Nonhuman primates, rats, and rabbits

Answer:

a) Dogs, cats, and nonhuman primates

The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) in the United States covers various regulations for biomedical research animals. The act has been amended multiple times to include more humane practices. AWA covers animals like dogs, cats, rabbits, and nonhuman primates, but it does not cover rats, mice, and birds. AWA requires researchers to register their use of animals and consider alternatives if the procedure causes distress or pain.

In addition to the AWA, the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (PHS Policy) applies to all research facilities receiving federal funding. This policy requires institutions to have an institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) that reviews proposed animal research experiments. The committee evaluates basic standards, the justification for using animals, whether the research is duplicated, and the minimization of pain and discomfort for the animals.

The United Kingdom and the European Union also have measures to regulate animal laboratory research.