eRAM Release 2.1.1
12/10/2012

The following changes were included in the 2.1.1. release:

Protocol Question Changes

1. General Information page:

Existing question
Explain why animals must be used to accomplish your proposed work.
Text added to existing question
Further explain why cell or tissue culture, isolated organ preparations, or computer simulations cannot be used.

2. Sponsor/Funding page:

Text added to Help section (top of page)
Include all sources of funding that will be used to support the work under this protocol

3. Location page:

Previous wording of Help section (top of page)
The UCUCA stongly discourages housing animals outside the approved animal facility.
Rodents may be kept outside of the approved animal facility for up to 24 hours. USDA-covered species (including guinea pigs, rabbits, etc.) may only be kept outside of the approved animal facility for up to 12 hours.

Note: If animals need to be kept in a laboratory for more than the allowed time (24/12 hours), scientific justification must be provided and the UCUCA must inspect and approve the laboratory space prior to housing. This space would then be included on all UCUCA semi-annual inspections. Please contact the UCUCA office via email or call 763-8028 for the application for approved housing form.

Arrangements for space to house animals must be made directly with ULAM (or the facility manager of the non-ULAM area) before animals are purchased. If the housing room is not known, select the building name.
New wording of Help section (top of page)
Rodents may only be kept outside of the approved animal facility for up to 24 hours. USDA-covered species (including guinea pigs, rabbits, etc.) may only be kept outside of the approved animal facility for up to 12 hours.

Note: If animals need to be kept in a laboratory for more than the allowed time (24/12 hours), scientific justification must be provided and the UCUCA must inspect and approve the laboratory space prior to housing. Please contact the UCUCA office at ucuca-office@med.umich.edu or call 763-8028 for the application for commissioning new housing locations.

Arrangements for space to house animals must be made directly with ULAM (or the facility manager of the non-ULAM area) before animals are purchased. If the housing room is not known at time of protocol submission, select the building name and 'unassigned husbandry managed' for the room location.

The selection of 'unassigned husbandry managed' for a housing location applies to UCUCA-approved housing spaces only. The manager of the facility (building) will know which rooms that are applicable and will assign housing.

4. Species page:

New requirement
The Quarantine and Conditioning section of questions are now required for ALL species, regardless of USDA classification.

Previous wording of question
Justify species selected.
New wording of question
Justify the species selected and indicate why a lesser sentient species cannot be used.

Previous wording of question
Will environmental enrichment be provided?
New wording of question
Will you be providing enrichment?
New conditional question (if Will you be providing enrichment is NO)
Justify circumstances where animals will not be provided enrichment.
New wording of conditional question (if Will you be providing enrichment is YES)
Describe the enrichment that will be provided (e.g., social housing (rodents only), toys, treats).

Previous wording of question
Justify not group housing animals.
New wording of question
Provide scientific or veterinary justification for singly housing animals.

New question
Will animals be habituated/conditioned to routine husbandry or experimental procedures prior to initiating the study?
New conditional question (if Will animals be habituated/conditioned to routine husbandry or experimental procedures prior to initiating the study? is NO)
Explain why habituation/conditioning will not be initiated.

5. Procedures page, Breeding detail:

New question
Describe how your colony will be managed to meet your research goals and objectives according to the principles of animal reduction and the methods used to prevent overcrowding.

6. Procedures page, Hazardous Agents detail:

Previous wording of question
Does the material pose a hazard to laboratory employees (through direct contact with the hazard or direct or indirect contact with animal or bedding)?
New wording of question
Does the material pose a hazard to laboratory employees (through direct contact with the hazard (including those genetically modified animals administered this agent) or direct or indirect contact with animal or bedding)?

Previous wording of question
Does the material pose a hazard to facility personnel (through direct contact with the hazard or direct or indirect contact with animal or bedding)?
New wording of question
Does the material pose a hazard to facility personnel (through direct contact with the hazard (including those genetically modified animals administered this agent) or direct or indirect contact with animal or bedding)?

7. Procedures page, Surgery detail:

Previous wording of question
Will animals undergo more than one major surgical procedure from which they are allowed to recover while under this protocol?
New wording of question (removed the word 'major')
Will animals undergo more than one surgical procedure from which they are allowed to recover while under this protocol?

8. Adverse Consequences page:

Previous wording of question
Describe expected adverse physical and/or physiological consequences or adverse effects on well-being that the animals may experience as a result of the procedures.
New wording of question
Describe expected adverse physical and/or physiological consequences (including genetically modified animals and their specific phenotypes) or adverse effects on well-being that the animals may experience as a result of the procedures.

New question
Will the ULAM Veterinary staff be consulted if pain or distress goes beyond the level anticipated in the protocol?
New conditional question (if Will the ULAM Veterinary staff be consulted if pain or distress goes beyond the level anticipated in the protocol?is NO)
Provide justification for why the veterinary staff will not be consulted.

9. Use Justification page:

Existing question
Justify the number of animals needed to achieve the scientific aim(s) of the project.
Text added to existing
Animal numbers should be justified by statistical analysis whenever possible.

New conditional question if animals will be used in Categories 7, 8 and/or 9
Provide specific scientific justification, including references if possible, for why animals must experience pain/distress, cannot receive analgesics, or why death must be used as an endpoint.

Animal Use Forms

For Animal Transfer form types, there is now a direct relationship between Fee for Service protocols and those protocols that list Fee for Service protocols on their procedure details. For example, if a Fee for Service protocol starts a transfer form, the only protocols that they will be able to select are those that list that particular Fee for Service on their procedure detail.

On the Animal Purchase Request and ULAM Delivery Notification animal use types, a new option was added to specify "Other" as an Animal Measure type instead of specifying age or weight. If this option is used, then a note describing the request (e.g., 2 months pregnant) must be entered in the Special Instructions/Notes to ULAM prior to submission.

UCUCA/ULAM

For Animal Transfer form types, Fee for Service protocols upon approval will no longer automatically move into a Completed state when breeding sheets and/or cage cards are needed. This signals ULAM that processing is needed in these circumstances.