Imagine that you are research technician working in a hospital that has animal testing facilities.  You have been a voluntary member of your local Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) for two years.  Your specific IACUC committee is part of a larger organization called the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS).  You are very familiar with the rules and procedures guiding animal use in animal testing.  You must do research using the links provided below and write a position paper from an IACUC Member’s point of view, answering the question, “Should animal research continue in the Unites States?”  This will be in preparation for the whole-class debate about animal research.  See Your Task page for specific information about the assignments.

Guiding Questions:

1. 1.How do you believe animals should be treated?
   

2. 2.Are their strict rules on where, when, why, how, and who tests on animals?
   

3. 3.What is IACUC’s role in advocating for animal rights?
   

Research Links:

PHS Policy on Human Use of Laboratory Animals: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/faqs.htm#IACUC_1        (*See link B. IACUC Composition, Function, and Authority)

Teens for Research: Caring for animals: http://www.kids4research.org/teens/caring_for_lab_animals.asp

AALAS Website: http://www.aalas.org/

IACUC Website: http://iacuc.org/ (*See About Us, Links: Alternatives to animals)

VIDEO: Touring an animal facility: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGy1QHPyvtM

(cc) IACUC.ORG