Non-Duplication Explanation for Teaching Projects

Note: The following information does not change the requirements for experimental/research protocols. All protocols, including teaching have the required replacement and refinement literature search for pain category D or E.

The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) requires that “…the P.I. provide written assurance that the activities do not unnecessarily duplicate previous experiments.” In an IACUC protocol covering teaching activities, a formal literature search for unnecessary duplication is not required.

However, an explanation for why the proposed activity is not unnecessary duplication is required in section III.D. The paragraph below is an example of the type of explanation the committee may accept for this type of activity.

Example:

The purpose of this proposed teaching activity is to help familiarize students with fundamental skills commonly performed in their educational curriculum field of study. It is imperative that procedures that require a degree of technical competence are best learned and practiced in a controlled teaching environment, supervised by a qualified instructor. Colleges have an obligation to provide students with practical training, experience, and achievement of reasonable skills that the public would expect. This proposal is a part of that basic, professional education. Therefore, the activity as proposed here does not constitute unnecessary duplication of effort.

Veterinary Students Example:

The purpose of this proposed teaching activity is to help familiarize students, enrolled in a formal professional educational curriculum, with fundamental skills needed to become a competent, practicing veterinarian. Veterinarians commonly perform the activities described in practice situations. It is imperative that procedures that require a degree of technical competence are best learned and practiced in a controlled teaching environment, supervised by a qualified instructor, and are not learned or perfected on client-owned animals. Since graduates are fully credentialed to practice veterinary medicine, the College has an obligation to provide students with practical training, experience, and achievement of reasonable skills in clinical procedures that the public would expect a competent veterinarian to possess. This proposal is a part of that basic, professional education. Therefore, the activity as proposed here does not constitute unnecessary duplication of effort.

Updated 03/18/2021