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Humane endpoints, defined

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Lab Animal

Animals used in biomedical research may experience pain or distress as part of the experimental protocol. By implementing humane endpoints, pain or distress can be prevented or alleviated whilst still meeting scientific aims and objectives. We invited experts from Arizona State University (Samantha Sullivan) and Loma Linda University (Obed Rutebuka), along with USDA and OLAW representatives (Louis DiVincenti and Axel Wolff), to respond to a scenario about the importance of defining humane endpoints in research protocols.

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References

  1. Institute for Laboratory Animal Research. Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals 8th edn. (National Academies Press, Washington DC, 2011).

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  4. Public Health Service. PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 2015).

  5. Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/downloads/AC_BlueBook_AWA_508_comp_version.pdf

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  8. Animal Welfare Regulations. 2023. 9 CFR § 2.31(e)

  9. Animal Welfare Regulations, 52 F.R. 10302 (proposed March 31, 1987) (to be codified at 9 CFR § 2.35)

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Acknowledgements

OLAW would like to acknowledge Neera Gopee (Associate Director for Animal Welfare Policy), Jane Na (Director, Division of Assurances), Brent Morse (Director, Division of Compliance Oversight) and Nicolette Petervary (Director, Division of Compliance Oversight) for their contribution to the preparation of the response.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Associate Director - IACUC/IBC/PAM, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA

    Lauren Danridge

  2. Animal Care & Use Office, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Bill Greer

  3. IACUC/IBC Manager, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

    Samantha Sullivan

  4. IACUC Administrator, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA

    Obed Rutebuka

  5. Senior Veterinary Medical Officer – Research, Animal Care National Policy Staff, APHIS, USDA, Riverdale, MD, USA

    Louis DiVincenti

  6. Acting Director, Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, OER, OD, NIH, HHS, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Axel Wolff

Authors
  1. Lauren Danridge
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  2. Bill Greer
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  3. Samantha Sullivan
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  4. Obed Rutebuka
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  5. Louis DiVincenti
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  6. Axel Wolff
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lauren Danridge.

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Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Disclaimer The views expressed in “A word from OLAW and USDA” represent the positions of OLAW/NIH and USDA, respectively, but the remainder of the contributions in this article do not represent official support or an endorsement by NIH, USDA, or any government agency.

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Cite this article

Danridge, L., Greer, B., Sullivan, S. et al. Humane endpoints, defined. Lab Anim 53, 123–125 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-024-01378-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-024-01378-3

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