References

PHS Language On The Institutional Veterinarian

From: OLAW Staff. Frequently Asked Questions about the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. ILAR News 35(3-4):47-49, Summer/Fall, 1993:

“4. Does the PHS Policy place any proscriptions on filling the positions of IO, attending veterinarian, and IACUC Chairperson with the same individual?

While there are no specific prohibitions, OPRR strongly recommends against having more than one of these positions filled by the same individual. OPRR considers that the responsibilities and authorities vested in each of the aforementioned positions are distinct, often requiring different skills. Also, the assignment of more than one of these roles to the same individual circumvents the intended checks and balances designed by the framers of the PHS Policy. Circumstances arising from having the same person serving as the IACUC Chair, the institutional veterinarian, and the IO have, in the past, been an underlying factor in some of our most serious cases of noncompliance with the PHS Policy. In addition, the mere perception of conflict of interest may lead to allegations of improprieties from various sources. However, the intent of the PHS Policy is to provide levels of responsibility and authority within institutions which would provide an optimal environment for its implementation. Hence, the attending veterinarian, as the only member appointed by virtue of position, serves on the IACUC under the IACUC Chairperson, with the later reporting directly to the IO. This arrangement, however, should not preclude the veterinarian from performing the appropriate management and administrative functions as the institutional veterinarian with direct access to (and preferably reporting channels to) the IO.”

See the source document in HTML format: ILAR News 35(3-4) 1993 Frequently Asked Questions.html