University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Robert M. Bird Library 271-2285, ext. 48752 http://library.ouhsc.edu

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University of Oklahoma Health Sciences
CenterRobert M. Bird Library271-2285, ext.
48752http//library.ouhsc.edu

• Searching for Animal Alternatives Meeting the
  Requirements of the Animal Welfare Act

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What is the IACUCs role?

• Support ethical research
• Reduce study duplication
• Reduce animal discomfort
• Justify species/number selection
• Assure veterinary care
• Ethical Guidelines
• Training
• Inspections and Reviews

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APHIS Care and Use Policies Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service

• Policy 11 deals with Painful and Stressful
  Procedures.
• Policy 12 requires a Written Narrative for
  Alternatives to Painful Procedures.
• Alternatives to be considered would include the
  "three R's
• reduction of the number of animals used
• refinement of procedures to lessen animal
  pain/distress
• replacement of research animals with less
  sentient species or non-animal models.
• The USDA considers a database search the best way
  to show that these requirements have been met.

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Alternatives searches for duplicate
studiesNational Science Foundation
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Red Flags in Alternatives Searches

• Only one database searched
• No search strategy formulated
• Search terms not relevant to protocol
• Search terms and concepts linked incorrectly
• Search doesnt cover adequate time period of 5-10
  years

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Bird Library Databases

• Bookmark the librarys homepage
• Click on Ovid or E-Resources
• Choose a relevant database
• Medline
• Web of Knowledge
• Web of Science
• Current Contents
• Agricola

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What is Medline?

• A database produced by NCBI and the National
  Library of Medicine.
• A database within PubMed.(accessible from
  library homepage)
• A database purchased by privately owned
  companies, who develop their own search interface
  (e.g., Ovid, Ebsco).

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Ovid Medline Search Sample

• The animal study, using dogs, will test a new
  device, an ultrasound balloon catheter, for
  pulmonary vein isolation in the treatment of
  atrial fibrillation.

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Web of Science Search Sample
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Retaining a Search Strategy

• Print it from the database, attach to protocol,
  retain a copy.
• Save it within the database (request password for
  Ovid).
• Request SDIs, Auto-Alerts (especially for
  protocols over three years duration).

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Online Resources

• AWIC-Animal Welfare Information Center
• Altweb Alternatives to animal testing on the
  web
• FRAME Fund for the replacement of animals in
  medical experiments
• Norina database Norwegian inventory of
  alternatives
• Wisconsin Primate Center

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Academic Centers

• UCCAAUniversity of California Center for Animal
  Alternatives
• Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal
  Testing (CAAT)

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Pre-formulated Search Strategies

• Canned searches, hedges.
• http//www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/Animal_Alternatives/
  protocol_ind.html

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Planning to Request an Alternatives Search by a
Reference Librarian

• Communicate directly with the librarian
• Show the librarian the protocol
• Expect that the librarian will ask questions
• Allow time for a thorough search

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Library Education Opportunities

• Lunch n Learns
• Individual instruction
• Email to bird-reference_at_ouhsc.edu
• Telephone [phone], ext. 48752
• Reference Librarians available
• Monday-Friday, 800-500