Gauthier C. Institutional animal user training in Canada [abstract]. ALTEX. 2009;26(Special Issue):166


Abstract

The Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) is the peer- based organization overseeing the ethical care and use of animals in research, teaching and testing throughout Canada since 1968. Institutional Animal Care Committees (ACCs) pioneered by the CCAC are the keystone of the Canadian oversight system. ACCs act as local quality control structures responsible for informed decision-making based on science and societal values, while the CCAC provides quality assurance at the national level.

Adequate training of all personnel is an essential component of any institutional animal care and use program to ensure that animals are used in the most humane and ethical manner. The CCAC guideline on institutional animal user training was published in 1999 to present theoretical and practical training requirements for animal users including investigators, postdoctoral fellows, research staff and graduate students. An accompanying Recommended Syllabus indicates the core topics to be covered. Twelve web-based modules on the core topics of the Recommended Syllabus were posted on the CCAC website with other resources prior to the mandatory implementation of the CCAC guidelines on institutional animal user training through the CCAC Assessment Program, beginning in 2003.

While the CCAC certifies institutional training programs as part of its certification of complete institutional animal care and use programs, the examination of individuals' competencies is the responsibility of the institution and its ACC.