Compilation of Frequently Asked Questions/
Responses on CCAC guidelines on:
institutional animal user training (1999) and the
CCAC Recommended Syllabus for an Institutional
Animal User Training Program (1999)

• "What is the phase in period?"
  
  The guidelines will be phased in over the next three years and will be fully implemented by January 2003.

• "How will it be feasible for institutions to fulfill the scope of the training program given current fiscal restraints?"
  
  The considerable resources needed to build an institutional training program for animal users have been recognized by the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC). Institutions will need to evaluate their training programs during the next three years and will need to devise a strategy suitable for their institution to offer the training required by animal users to meet the CCAC standard.
  
  Institutions may elect simply to adopt the training program offered by another institution willing to make their material available to others. The CCAC will maintain a list of institutions' programs that are suitable for this purpose. Alternatively, smaller institutions may wish to consider sending their animal users to a larger institution to receive the core training modules, and provide the hands on training themselves as necessary.

• "The personnel resources to undertake both the curriculum development and its delivery would require resources beyond the capacity of the institution, and may adversely affect the ability to provide animal care due to the additional load placed on facility directors by these guidelines."
  
  The CCAC is aware of the additional human and fiscal resources which may be required to build a new training program. In this regard, the CCAC will be discussing the implementation of the training program with the research administration of the institution to ensure that the necessary resources are applied to program development and delivery. The CCAC is also developing a list of resource materials which can be used as material for the courses. In addition, it is not anticipated that the course will be taught solely by facility directors; senior investigators or technical staff who have many years of experience of working with animal models may be the most suitable individuals to deliver some of the course material.

• "CCAC needs to make a commitment to actively promote the guidelines on: institutional animal user training at each facility as part of the current Assessment Program or through regional workshops."
  
  This is the intention of the CCAC. Over the next three years, every institution participating in the CCAC Assessment Program will receive a visit, as part of the regular assessment cycle. During the assessment visit, the Assessment Directors will take the opportunity to further explain the National Institutional Animal User Training (NIAUT) Program and will give institutional personnel the opportunity to discuss the requirements. In addition, animal user training is likely to be the subject of the CCAC Regional workshops during this period.

• "How will the training be documented?"
  
  In order to permit institutional flexibility, the mechanism for evaluation/documentation of training should be developed by each institution.
  
  Protocol review, for example, offers the animal care committee an opportunity to evaluate whether the individuals listed on the protocol form have received the appropriate training to enable them to conduct the animal-based techniques described within the protocol.

• "How will institutions demonstrate to CCAC assessment panels that they are in compliance with the CCAC guidelines on: institutional animal user training?"
  Following the introductory three-year period, institutions will need to document their training program delivery, or show evidence of arrangements that have been made with other institutions to train animal users.

• "Will individual institutions be responsible for developing course material or will the CCAC create the courses?"
  
  Institutions are responsible for assembling appropriate resource material to support the delivery of their animal user training program; however, the CCAC recognizes that significant institutional resources can be required to build a comprehensive training program. Therefore, the CCAC is committed to assisting institutions to develop suitable training programs. The CCAC guidelines and syllabus describe the purpose of an animal user training program and outline appropriate topics in a modular format. The CCAC will review and maintain a recommended list of resource materials to support both the core and non-core modules described in the Recommended Syllabus. The material presented in the training programs of several Canadian institutions constitutes an important part of the available resources. In addition, there are electronic media and various models available to assist in teaching techniques; but practical skill development will require hands on demonstration and practice.

• "Why doesn't the CCAC create a manual with all this information for institutions?"
  Animal use differs greatly from one institution to another, therefore, institutions need flexibility to develop animal user training programs which will best serve the needs of their investigators, graduate students, technical staff, etc. Currently, many institutions have excellent animal user training programs in place and the guidelines should in no way detract from these. The CCAC will provide assistance for training program development by reviewing and maintaining a recommended list of resource materials to support both the core and non-core modules described in the Recommended Syllabus.

• "Who is going to teach the modules within the training program?"
  The information can be delivered by veterinarians, senior researchers, experienced technicians, and/or qualified animal care staff. Cooperative presentations or team-teaching may provide the most current and complete instruction, particularly for species specific or specialized techniques and procedures. Presentation of animal user training program material may be done in a number of formats, such as lectures, laboratories, auto-tutorials, videos, and small group discussions.

• "In what depth must this be taught, i.e., will the training take several hours or several days?"
  The training program is intended to be flexible in order to best meet the needs of institutions, animal care committees, and investigators. Topic presentation may be accomplished through any number of formats, appropriate for the institution. For example, the necessary material can be taught within short workshops, as part of graduate courses, or in occasional seminars on module subjects. Within specific modules, such as species specific anesthesia/analgesia or specialized techniques, the depth of topic training should be based on the procedures to be performed and the needs of the investigator.

• "Will this training be accepted as investigators move from one institution to another?"
  Yes: this is a major reason why the CCAC is instituting a National Institutional Animal User Training (NIAUT) Program, to develop a national standard for training of animal users, recognized in all institutions across Canada.
  
  Institutions, through their animal facility directors and managers and animal care committees, are responsible for ensuring that all personnel using animals are adequately trained and supervised during initial animal use. Institutions will need to maintain records to document training; information regarding an individual's training and experience can be carried from one institution to another.

• "Is this training program mandatory?"
  Yes: it will be after a three-year phase in period. Training for all personnel is an essential component of any animal care and use program to ensure that animals are used in the most humane and ethical manner. The CCAC guidelines on: institutional animal user training present the training requirements for animal users (including investigators, post-doctoral fellows, research staff and graduate students) which will become a mandatory component of compliance with CCAC guidelines and policies by January 2003.

• "Why develop these guidelines if institutions already have training programs in place?"
  Training for all personnel is an essential component of any animal care and use program to ensure that animals are used in the most humane and ethical manner; however, it has become apparent that not all personnel in all institutions assessed by the CCAC are receiving adequate levels of training. By developing a National Institutional Animal User Training (NIAUT) Program and working towards a mandatory requirement for training by January 2003, the CCAC intends to standardize animal user training within Canada. The CCAC guidelines on: institutional animal user training delineates the scope of the program required to ensure that animal research carried out on protocols approved by an institution's animal care committee is sound and humane. The CCAC recognizes that many institutions have excellent training programs in place. The guidelines should in no way detract from these programs and in fact borrow much from the training programs and experiences of these institutions.

• "How can investigators, graduate students, etc., best access a training program?"
  The training program must be offered on a regular basis to ensure that all animal users receive training prior to commencement of any animal-based work. Each institution will have to assess the demand for training, in order to determine how frequently training courses need to be provided so that animal-based projects are not delayed unduly.
  Animal care committees have the responsibility within the institution to inform animal users of their training policy and access to training (either within the institution or through collaboration with another institution). Senior investigators share the responsibility with the animal care committee to ensure that students and technicians under their supervision receive appropriate training for the animal-based procedures that they are required to perform.
  It is recognized that institutions frequently have people arriving and departing throughout the year, including visitors and students involved in short-term projects. It may prove to be too resource intensive to fully train such individuals, but limited training must be offset by more intensive supervision of these individuals.

• "Why is a refresher course necessary after five years?"
  Following initial participation in an institutional animal user training program, it is recommended that all personnel attend a refresher course after five years, and that additional modules are attended by individuals as their activities or responsibilities change. Refresher courses will allow investigators and research staff the opportunity to learn updated techniques, understand new regulations, and share information regarding innovations and controversies in animal use.

• "Who decides which training modules are necessary for investigators or institutions?"
  
  It is ultimately the responsibility of the animal care committee to ensure that the animal users within their institution have been adequately trained for the work that they are undertaking. As required by the CCAC guidelines on: institutional animal user training, animal users must undertake core training, following the lab animal/teaching stream or wildlife stream as appropriate. Non-core topics must also be taken in the areas necessitated by the animal-based procedures to be performed. By maintaining records of training, animal care committees will be able to determine whether the individuals listed on a protocol have received the appropriate training necessary to undertake the protocol.

• "Does everyone have to take core topics?"
  Yes: the core section of the Recommended Syllabus includes topics such as ethical animal use, relevant regulations, principles of experimental animal science, and useful information relating to the purpose and function of local institutional animal care committees. All personnel using animals need to be aware of the ethical dilemmas and spectra of views regarding institutional animal use in Canada. Those personnel, for example, project supervisors, who do not participate in the hands on experimental procedures, may not be required to participate in the practical sections of the Recommended Syllabus, but will need to participate in core modules.

• "Why is the Recommended Syllabus divided into core and non-core topics?"
  The core section of the Recommended Syllabus will provide participants with an appreciation of the ethical issues of using animals for scientific purposes. The non-core topics are separated into modules which are species specific and procedure specific, targeted to the needs of the individual animal users within the institution. In this way, the training program should provide participants with the necessary knowledge base and technical skills to carry out required procedures, and to promote quality science based on appropriate use of animals by skilled individuals.
  The breakdown of core and non-core items has been developed to enhance flexibility and to suit the needs of all animal users (e.g., investigators, post-doctoral fellows, research staff and graduate students). However, sections of an institutional training program may also be suitable for the education of animal care technicians as well as members of animal care committees.

• "Why is the focus on institutional-style research?"
  
  The Recommended Syllabus training topics have been divided into a lab animal/teaching stream and a wildlife stream in order to ensure that the training is relevant to the needs of the investigator and the intended animal use. The wildlife stream includes subjects such as ethical considerations, regulatory issues, zoonoses, capture and immobilization techniques, marking techniques, and euthanasia. The lab animal/teaching stream has a stronger focus on animal husbandry, animal health monitoring, occupational health and safety issues, and facility specific operational information.

CCAC guidelines on: institutional animal user training

CCAC Recommended Syllabus for an Institutional Animal User Training Program

April 21, 1999

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