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Definition of Pain and Distress and Reporting Requirements for Laboratory Animals Proceedings of the Workshop Held June 22, 2000 (2000) / Chapter Skim
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AALAS Position Paper on the 'Recognition and Alleviation of Pain and Distress in Laboratory Animals'
Pages 53-57

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From page 53...
... AALAS has produced this position paper to outline the difficulties in recognizing pain and distress in laboratory animals, to clarify certain definitions, and to stimulate the laboratory animal community and regulatory authorities to find appropriate means for addressing this problem and create lines of communication for sharing information that may advance this cause. We also urge the regulatory agencies to revise the current pain and distress categorization system in the USDA annual report.
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From page 54...
... I was pleased to learn that the proposed changes to Policy 11 actually might include nondrug treatment modalities under Column D of the USDA annual report. Presently, animals experiencing pain or distress and for which drugs have been withheld for scientific reasons are automatically placed in column E (unalleviated pain and/or distress)
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From page 55...
... Involving the animal research staff in this process serves not only as an opportunity to train the laboratory personnel but also helps increase their awareness regarding the humane treatment of the animals. The primary monitoring responsibility may ultimately be delegated to the research laboratory, after the veterinarian and IACUC deem that its training is adequate.
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From page 56...
... Body condition scoring and weight loss patterns should be taken into consideration and evaluated to determine whether they can be implemented as a refinement. Pilot studies should be conducted under veterinary supervision whenever a novel procedure is planned that has the potential to be painful or distressful.
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From page 57...
... The burden for monitoring is shared, which is why we should involve research personnel in addition to the veterinarian and animal care technician. Sometimes when we can involve the investigator himself or herself, we should try to do that.
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  • vitro methods
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  • methods instead
  • supervision whenever

  • environmental enrichment
  • vitro experiments
  • recognizing pain
  • animal veterinarians
  • received medication

  • iacuc deem
  • body condition
  • current pain
  • big unknown
  • avoid doing

  • monitor pain
  • level category
  • moral obligation
  • alleviate pain
  • monitoring responsibility


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