NIH scientific review groups are instructed to evaluate the 5 point Vertebrate Animal Section (VAS) to determine if it is complete and if plans for the use of vertebrate animals are appropriate. Points 1, 2, and 5 are relatively straightforward; however, more detail may now be requested for points 3 and 4. A detailed worksheet on the VAS has been developed by the NIH Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare.
A document with suggested language and advice on completing the VAS has been developed to assist University of Minnesota investigators who house animals in Research Animal Resources. The document can be downloaded at the IACUC website (URL corrected).
Investigators who have additional questions about completing the VAS can contact Cynthia Gillett, RAR Director, at gille002@umn.edu.
April 6, 2010 at 7:48 am
The link to the IACUC website for the VAS suggested language does not work. It goes to:
http://researchnewsumn.wordpress.com/2010/04/05/info-to-include-in-vas-of-nih-applications-and-proposals/www.research.umn.edu/iacuc/documents/VASinfo.doc
and says: PAGE NOT FOUND
April 6, 2010 at 8:39 am
The link “IACUC website’ from above for the VAS document goes to a webpage that indicates “We are terribly sorry, but the URL you typed no longer exists.”.
April 6, 2010 at 9:51 am
Sorry for the inconvenience — the URL has been corrected to: http://cflegacy.research.umn.edu/iacuc/