Excerpt

Over the last 10 years, the biomedical research enterprise has undergone tremendous growth. The amount of federal funding for biomedical research has more than doubled since 1995, and the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and contract research sectors have all seen double-digit growth (PhRMA, 2005). That growth has been accompanied by parallel increases in research infrastructure, including an increase in the numbers of animals used in biomedical research. The humane transportation of research animals has been a priority, but there are concerns that the rapid increase in the numbers of animals transported, the increasing use of genetically modified animals that may have medical considerations, the complexity of permitting and inspection of research animals, and the dwindling availability of transportation services are adversely affecting the quality and ease of transportation in the United States.

Because of those concerns, the National Center for Infectious Diseases of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health asked the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Research Council to convene a committee to address problems associated with the transportation of research animals. The detailed charge to the committee is as follows: A committee will be formed to address current problems encountered in the transportation of research animals and make recommendations to rectify these problems to the benefit of the research community and the animals themselves. The committee will focus on all species used in biomedical research and all possible modes of transportation. Specifically, they will address: animal welfare concerns during transportation; availability of quality transportation services for animals, or lack thereof; overlaps or gaps in regulatory oversight; permitting issues; transportation of tissues/specimens; regulatory burden reduction; and potential biosecurity concerns.

Contents

• The National Academies
• Committee on Guidelines for the Human Transportation of Laboratory Animals
• Institute for Laboratory Animal Research Council
• Preface
• Abbreviations and Acronyms
• Summary
  • MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Regulations and Guidelines for the Transportation of Research Animals
  • NATIONAL REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES
  • DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
  • US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
  • CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
  • US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
  • PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
  • FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
  • STATE HEALTH AND AGRICULTURAL REGULATIONS
  • INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS FOR TRANSPORTING RESEARCH ANIMALS
  • CITES
  • INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION
  • INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION
  • WORLD ANIMAL HEALTH ORGANIZATION
  • THE EUROPEAN UNION
• 3. Good Practices in the Transportation of Research Animals
  • STRESS DURING TRANSPORTATION
  • ALLOMETRIC SCALING AND IMPLICATION FOR TRANSPORTATION PRACTICES
  • THERMAL ENVIRONMENT
  • SPACE ALLOCATION
  • FOOD AND WATER
  • SOCIAL INTERACTION AND GROUP TRANSPORTATION
  • HANDLING
  • MONITORING TRANSPORTATION
  • EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
  • PERSONNEL TRAINING
• 4. Biosecurity
  • PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH AND AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES
  • PROTECTING THE BIOLOGICAL INTEGRITY OF RESEARCH ANIMALS AND COLONIES
• 5. Recommendations
• About the Authors
• References
• Appendixes
  • Appendix A Summary of the Animal Welfare Act Regulations Pertaining to Transportation
  • Appendix B Patterns in the Ground Transportation of Research Animals in the United States

This study was supported by the Elizabeth R. Griffin Research Foundation, the National Center for Infectious Disease, and Contract No. N01-OD-4-2139, Task Order 118 between the National Institutes of Health and the National Academy of Sciences. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the National Institutes of Health, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the US government.

The Internet information and government forms referenced in this report were correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of publication. It is important to remember, however, the dynamic nature of the Internet. Resources that are free and publicly available one day may require a fee or restrict access the next, and the location of items may change as menus and homepages are reorganized.