The cost of self‐imposed regulatory burden in animal research. Issue 8 (30th April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Thulin, Joseph D.; Bradfield, John F.; Bergdall, Valerie K.; Conour, Laura A.; Grady, Andrew W.; Hickman, Debra L.; Norton, John N.; Wallace, Jeanne M.
• Is Part Of: FASEB journal. Volume 28:Issue 8(2014)
• Page Start: 3297
• Page End: 3300
• Publication Date: 2014-04-30
• Subjects: compliance -- oversight -- standards -- policies; Biology -- Periodicals; Biology, Experimental -- Periodicals; 570
• DOI: 10.1096/fj.14-254094
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0892-6638

Abstract

Abstract : U.S. federal regulations and standards governing the care and use of research animals enacted in the mid‐ to late 1980s, while having positive effects on the welfare and quality of the animals, have resulted in dramatic increases in overall research costs. In addition to the expenses of housing and caring for animals according to the standards, establishing the requisite internal compliance bureaucracies has markedly driven up costs, in both institutional monetary expenditures and lost research effort. However, many institutions are increasing these costs even further through additional self‐imposed regulatory burden, typically characterized by overly complex compliance organizations and unnecessary policies and procedures. We discuss the sources of this self‐imposed burden and recommend strategies for avoiding it while preserving an appropriate focus on animal well‐being and research success.—Thulin, J. D., Bradfield, J. F., Bergdall, V. K., Conour, L. A., Grady, A. W., Hickman, D. L., Norton, J. N., Wallace, J. M. The cost of self‐imposed regulatory burden in animal research. FASEB J. 28, 3297–3300 (2014). www.fasebj.org