General Information and Guidelines

ACVIM Foundation
Guidelines for Clinical Investigation

Overview:

The ACVIM Foundation improves the health and well-being of animals by funding humane studies and communicating information about this work to the veterinary community and the general public. We support leading veterinary scientists as they take on a range of critical animal health issues within the specialties of small and large animal internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, and oncology. This work, in turn, holds promise for better preventive care, better nutrition, and more sensitive screening and improved treatment for such devastating diseases as cancer, epilepsy, cardiomyopathy, and kidney failure.

Our main goal is to support clinical investigations that lead to new diagnostic, treatment, and prevention techniques. Guided by our Scientific Review Committee, we fund only the most relevant and humane animal health studies.

Guidelines:

1) Relevance All studies will be designed and carried out with consideration for their relevance to animal health and the advancement of knowledge.

2) Compassion In accordance with good scientific technique, every animal shall have compassionate care, comfort, and protection from abuse and unnecessary pain.

3) Humaneness Use of animals shall be humane and consistent with laws and regulations that have been approved by local governing bodies whose function is the regulation of animals in research (e.g., foreign country, veterinary practice, animal ranch/sanctuary, wildlife preserve, etc.). ACVIM Foundation will require the review of the proposed animal use by an established collaborating institution's IACUC or require the applicant to seek review from a willing institution that has an established IACUC. All animal care, husbandry procedures, and IACUC member structure shall meet or exceed the guidelines set forth in U.S. government's Animal Welfare Act (Title 9 CFR Subchapter A - Animal Welfare) and the National Research Council's Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (1996), and/or further required regional regulations. ACVIM Foundation requires IACUC approval from the submitting institution for all clinical trials involving animals even though such approval may not be a requirement of the institution.

4) Informed Owner Consent ACVIM Foundation shall require informed owner consent in all clinical trials involving client-owned animals. An informed owner consent form of minimum standards shall be provided to the Foundation as part of the grant review process and executed by the Principal Investigator or appropriate officer under their authority.

5) Statement re: Disease Induction, Euthanasia Restrictions, and Management of Discomfort

A. ACVIM Foundation shall not fund health studies on an animal which requires the induction of disease or injury, unless 1) the nature of the disease or condition to be studied is of such significance for improving animal health that induction of disease is justified and 2) meaningful information can be obtained no other way (i.e. alternative models have been thoroughly evaluated). Investigators shall be required to address introduction of disease in all ACVIM Foundation grant applications.

B. ACVIM Foundation shall not fund any study in which euthanasia is required or otherwise controlled or influenced by the investigator unless compelling justification is made and no alternatives exist.

C. ACVIM Foundation shall not fund any study that induces or allows pain or distress, other than short-term, minor pain or distress that can be controlled by appropriate anesthetic, analgesic or tranquilizing drugs.

6) Study Termination ACVIM Foundation reserves the right to terminate a study if there are concerns about animal well-being.

7) Extraordinary and Unpredictable Circumstances ACVIM Foundation recognizes that, in upholding the Veterinarian's Oath, the following extraordinary and unpredictable circumstances may influence the funding of studies which would otherwise be rejected as unacceptable. These circumstances may include but are not limited to disorders associated with:
A. severe morbidity/mortality
B. economic or humanitarian crises
C. clear or present threats to the public health

8) Modifications ACVIM Foundation will remain open to input from the professional and lay community regarding worthwhile modifications to this document as appropriate to help achieve the highest ideals of the Foundation.

Scientific Review Committee 2007/2008

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