UPM IACUC
The University of the Philippines Manila recognizes the ethical and legal responsibilities when using animals in research and instruction thus require that faculty, researchers, staff and students, use appropriate care, wisdom and humaneness when deciding on the need for animals, the choice of species, and the number of animals, for research and instruction. In order to promote the humane care and use of animals, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is mandated with the responsibility for ensuring adherence to appropriate University and national and international policies and regulations.
Compliance to this policy allows the University in fulfilling its ethical and legal obligations to regulatory agencies. It is not intended to limit the freedom of faculty, staff and students, but rather to assist them in conducting research and training of the highest quality, and in adhering to the highest professional standards of their disciplines.
All researches* involving live vertebrae animals such as fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals (including egg/embryo assay), and mammals, and domesticated or wild animals require IACUC review.
Invertebrate animals are exempted for IACUC review.
*Researches with PI’s affiliated in UP Manila and will be conducted in UP Manila.
*Researches with PI’s affiliated in UP Manila and will be conducted outside UP Manila.
*UP Manila IACUC is not accepting protocols for review from Non-UPM Constituents.
Forms and Memo:
For inquiries, please contact the UPM IACUC Secretariat through email at iacuc.upmanila@up.edu.ph.
Physical copy submissions are discouraged. Please only submit protocol review application via email.
UP Manila Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
1. What is an IACUC?
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is mandated with the responsibility for ensuring adherence to appropriate University and national and international policies and regulations.
The IACUC, under the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, serves as the oversight committee in the care and use of live animals in research and teaching activities in the University of the Philippines Manila.
2. What types of experiments need IACUC approval?
UP Manila requires IACUC approval for all work involving direct interaction with live vertebrates only.
3. Who do I contact if I have questions regarding the animal care and use program or the IACUC?
You may email the IACUC Secretariat at iacuc.upmanila@up.edu.ph.
4. What kind of IACUC training is required?
Everyone working with animals must receive lecture and laboratory animal handling training. Please contact the IACUC Secretariat for the updated schedule of the trainings.
5. I need to amend my IACUC protocol to add/change procedures / personnel / animals.
An amendment to the protocol must be submitted. Please note that even the most MINOR changes MUST be approved via submission of an amendment.
6. Do I need an IACUC protocol to use dead animals or animal parts?
If the animals are specifically euthanized for your research purposes, then you need to submit a protocol. If you are obtaining animals or tissue that were already dead (rat livers from another laboratory, steaks from the supermarket, tissues from a slaughterhouse), you need to fill out the Form on the Use of Animal Products in Research or Teaching. Also, all work with wild mammal tissue needs approval from the IBBC.
7. Where do I get a protocol form?
The protocol form is attached to the e-mail upon registration in RGAO or you can personally ask for a soft copy of it via IACUC e-mail. We do not accept protocols on expired forms, so be sure to ALWAYS use a new copy every time you submit a protocol.
8. How long does it take to get IACUC approval?
Protocols are reviewed at monthly IACUC meetings. It may take 1-8 weeks to get IACUC approval for an amendment or protocol.
9. Why did it take three months to get my protocol approved?
The most common factor that delays approval is that the IACUC decides if the protocol needs revision. Then approval will not be granted until these concerns are satisfactorily addressed.
10. May the investigator begin animal work before receiving IACUC approval?
No.
11. Must I complete a protocol form if I use only lobsters, oysters, insects, or microorganisms in my research/teaching activities?
No. You only need to complete the protocol form if you are working with vertebrate animals.
12. May I let someone else fill out my Animal Use Protocols?
We encourage Principal Investigators to write and submit each IACUC protocol form; however, a staff member may fill out a protocol form with the permission of the Principal Investigator. The individual listed as PI must sign the assurance form, indicating full responsibility for the protocol.
13. Is it acceptable to have different individuals named as PI on the grant application and the IACUC protocol?
Yes.
14. How long is IACUC approval of a protocol in effect?
One year. You should write the animal use application to include all work and all animals requested for one year.
15. Do I need to pay for the IACUC review?
UPM affiliates with self-funded research and UPM graduate students are exempted from the review fee. UPM Funded research is charged PHP 500 for IACUC review fee, while Government-funded and/or sponsored research are charged PHP 5,000. Please refer to the IACUC Review Fee
The Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Animal Industry research permit is processed after IACUC approval which requires payment of PHP 100.