Category | Examples and Comments |
|---|---|
Experiments involving either no living materials or use of plants, bacteria, protozoa, or invertebrate animal species. | Biochemical, botanical, bacteriological, microbiological, or invertebrate animal studies, tissue cultures, studies on tissues obtained from autopsy or from slaughterhouse, studies on embryonated eggs. Invertebrate animals have nervous systems and respond to noxious stimuli, and therefore must also be treated humanely. |
Experiments on vertebrate animal species that are expected to produce little or no discomfort . | Mere holding of animals captive for experimental purposes; simple procedures such as injections of relatively harmless substances and blood sampling; physical examinations; experiments on completely anesthetized animals which do not regain consciousness; food/water deprivation for short periods (a few hours) ; standard methods of euthanasia that induce. rapid unconsciousness, such as anesthetic overdose or decapitation preceded by sedation or light anesthesia. |
Experiments that involve some minor stress or pain (short-duration pain) to vertebrate animal species. | Exposure of blood vessels or implantation of chronic catheters with anesthesia; behavioral experiments on awake animals that involve short-term stressful restraint; immunization employing Freund's adjuvant; noxious stimuli from which escape is possible; surgical procedures under anesthesia that may result in some minor post-surgical discomfort. Category C procedures incur additional concern in proportion to the degree and duration of unavoidable stress or discomfort. |
Experiments that involve significant but unavoidable stress or pain to vertebrate animal species. | Deliberate induction of behavioral stress in order to test its effect; major surgical procedures under anesthesia that result in significant post-operative discomfort; induction of an anatomical or physiological deficit that will result in pain or distress; application of noxious stimuli from which escape is impossible; prolonged periods (up to several hours or more) of physical restraint; maternal deprivation with substitution of punitive surrogates; induction of aggressive behavior leading to self-mutilation or intra-species aggression; procedures that produce pain in which anesthetics are not used, such as toxicity testing with death as an end point; production of radiation sickness, certain injections, and stress and shock research that would result in pain approaching the pain tolerance threshold, i.e. the point at which intense emotional reactions occur. Category D experiments present an explicit responsibility on the investigator to explore alternative designs to ensure that animal distress is minimized or eliminated. |
Procedures that involve inflicting severe pain near, at, or above the pain tolerance threshold of unanesthetized, conscious animals. |
Use of muscle relaxants or paralytic drugs such as succinyl choline or other curariform drugs used alone for surgical restraint without the use of anesthetics; severe burn or trauma infliction on unanesthetized animals; attempts to induce psychotic-like behavior; killing by use of microwave ovens designed for domestic kitchens or by strychnine; inescapably severe stress or terminal stress. Category E experiments are considered highly questionable or unacceptable irrespective of the significance of anticipated results. Many of these procedures are specifically prohibited in national policies and therefore may result in withdrawal of federal funds and/or institutional USDA registration. |