Suggestions for Facilitating ARC Review of your Protocol
As you are aware,
Federal regulations require the ARC to review all animal activities conducted at
UCLA. For detail about the review process, please see
http://www.oprs.ucla.edu/animal/news/item?item_id=522061
Over the past few
years, the ARC has significantly reduced the turnaround time for approval of
protocols, while maintaining the same high level of review. However, with UC
mandated furloughs and an ever increasing workload, the ARC faces challenges to
maintain the same level of efficiency. We therefore ask your help to streamline
the review process by following these suggestions:
Communicating with
ARC Staff:
1)
Have your protocol
number available at the time of your call. Please also include your protocol number in
emails to the ARC.
2)
Whenever possible please email your questions
rather than call. This will allow ARC staff to process applications with minimal
interruption. Please be assured that staff will return your email within 24
hours. For more urgent matters, please call our office.
3)
Please ensure that
the person appointed with contacting the ARC is knowledgeable of your study and
the issue at hand. This will allow the ARC staff to provide the best possible
advice.
4)
Notify ARC staff immediately of any urgent
requests, including funding deadlines.
This will allow staff to prioritize their workload. Please limit special
requests to only those matters that are indeed urgent.
Protocol Review
1)
Ensure that each section of the application is
complete prior to submission.
2)
Respond to all questions in a detailed, point by
point manner explaining how you have addressed the Committee’s questions and
concerns. “Done” is generally not a sufficient response.
3)
Please ensure that
you’ve provided scientific justification for the number of animals requested and
that the numbers are consistent throughout the protocol.
4)
Do not cut-and-paste
information from your grant into the application.
The information included should correspond to the questions asked in each
section.
5)
Renewal applications: Ensure that the information
provided reflects what is currently being conducted.
Delete all completed experiments.
6)
Do not duplicate (cut-and-paste) text into
multiple sections. This practice will make your protocol needlessly long, and add to
increasing inconsistency as the protocol evolves.
7)
When adding a new funding source, please ensure
that you send the grant (via email) to the ARC.
The reviewers are
required to ensure congruency between the grant and protocol, so submitting the
grant with your application expedites the process.
8)
Do not include detailed in vitro
procedures in your description of activities.
The ARC protocol should focus on the use of live animals; in vitro analyses need
only be mentioned with relation to how these impact animal numbers and/or in
vivo procedures.
9)
When you submit your application, make sure you
SUBMIT your application. Submission is a “two-click” process: First, click the
“Submit to ARC” link, then click “Submit this protocol to the ARC.” The status
must change to Submitted for the application to officially be submitted.
10)
If while submitting your application you notice
warnings regarding training, please continue to submit your application.
You may complete those
training/certification issues while your application is being processed.
As always, please
contact me if you have any comments or suggestions about the ARC review process
(kwads@oprs.ucla.edu or x55227).
Kathy
Wadsworth
Associate
Director – Animal Subjects Research
