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Committee Member Resources

Animal Ethics

          Human Ethics T.         Gene Technology - Monash Australia IBC
Review Instructions and How-to GuidesMUHREC Members SiteGene Technology ERM resources
AEC Guidelines and Work InstructionsNavigating ERM Reviewer GuideContact Us
Animal Care and Use Program GuidelinesHREC Reviewer Guide
Regulatory InformationLow Risk Reviewer Guide
Training and Other ResourcesLow Risk Reader Checklist
Useful LinksCapturing Gender Data
Contact UsContact Us


Animal Ethics

Review Instructions and How-to Guides

ERM reviewer guide
ERM reviewer guide for AEC members that outlines the instructions for reviewing applications, amendments and reports in ERM.

Application review checklist

  

A handy reference to assist you with the checks and information you should be looking for when reviewing a new research application or amendment.

Review instruction: Annual reports and animal use returns

A handy reference to assist you with the checks and information you should be looking for when reviewing annual/final reports and animal use returns.

How-to: Filter and forward Monash emails to a personal email address

It can be difficult to remember to check your Monash email address on a regular basis, and forwarding all emails to a personal address can clog up your email. This guide will show you how to selectively forward only relevant emails from the Animal Ethics Office and ERM.

How-to: Access MARP PQMS documentsMARP store their PQMS documents in the Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) database. This guide will show you how to log in to GRC and search for documents of interest.

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AEC Guidelines and Work Instructions

Guideline: Minor amendment guidelines

  

Key reference. Describes the criteria by which an amendment may be considered minor and reviewed out of session by an appropriately constituted Executive. If you don't believe a minor amendment you are reviewing meets these criteria, you can raise your concerns with the Chair and request to have the amendment escalated to a quorate meeting.

Guideline: Assessing incidents involving the care and use of animals for scientific purposes

Key reference. Describes requirements for reporting and investigation of incidents relating to the care and use of animals. Section 7 covers the role of the AEC in reviewing an incident report and Sections 8-9 detail the process for categorisation of an incident and any further reporting or escalation that may be required. Refer to the reporting intranet page for further information.

Guideline: Post-approval monitoring program

Key reference. Provides a framework for the conduct of post-approval monitoring activities. Section 5 outlines the steps in the process where the AECs have operational responsibility.

Guideline: Specified animals breeding licence (SABL) practices for rodents

Provides a definition of breeding practices that excludes basic husbandry and cage changes. This allows casual staff to perform these procedures under the SABL without being explicitly named. 

Work instruction: Post-approval monitoring (PAM) program

Links to the Work Instructions guiding the steps in the post-approval monitoring process, along with other resources for those investigators whose projects have been selected for a PAM audit. Refer to the PAM intranet for more information.


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Animal Care and Use Program Guidelines

Monitoring of animal use for scientific purposes

Key reference. Describes the requirements for monitoring of animals on approved projects

Record keeping for animals used for scientific purposes

  

Key reference. Describes the requirements for animal use records to be maintained by investigators.

Management of pain and distress in rodents

Key reference. Describes the requirements for managing pain and distress through the entirety of the animals' use, including acquisition, transport, housing, procedures and experimental endpoint. 

Aseptic surgical technique in rodent surgery

Key reference. Describes the requirements for adopting aseptic technique in surgery to reduce the risk of post-procedural surgical site infection.

Institutional training requirements for investigators

Describes the requirement for investigators to complete mandatory online compliance training Animal Ethics 101 and 102 prior to being listed as an investigator on an approved project.

Allocation of projects to a Monash University AEC

Describes the way applications are allocated to AECs for review and provides a mechanism by which investigators may request to have their projects reallocated to a different AEC.

Monash AEC projects with internal fieldwork

Provides a mechanism by which projects involving work to be performed in Monash University premises that are not listed on the SPPL for which the AEC acts may be considered internal fieldwork and not require a delegation of responsibility to monitor.

Transportation of rodents by MARP within the Monash University Clayton precinct

Provides a mechanism for MARP to change delivery practices from Building 41 to research destinations without requiring an amendment to all approved projects utilising MARP for deliveries.


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Regulatory Information

Monash Policies

Monash University Animal Ethics Committees Terms of Reference

Ethical Research and Approvals: Scientific Activities Involving Animals Procedures

Victorian Legislation

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Regulations 2019

Wildlife Act 1975

Wildlife Regulations 2013

Victorian Codes of Practice

The Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes (8th Edition, 2013)

Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of Laboratory Mice, Rats, Guinea Pigs and Rabbits (2004)

Animal Welfare Victoria Guidance

Guidelines for the Conduct of Animal Ethics Committees

Guidance Note - Veterinarians in Research and Teaching

National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)

The Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research

Principles and Guidelines for the Care and Use of Non-human Primates for Scientific Research

Guidelines to Promote the Wellbeing of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes

A Guide to the Care and Use of Australian Native Mammals in Research and Teaching

Monash University Malaysia

Animal Welfare Act, 2015

Malaysian Code Of Practice For The Care And Use Of Animals For Scientific Purposes (My Code)

MUM AEC Induction Slides


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Training and Other Resources

Animal Ethics 101 and 102 mandatory compliance training
AEC induction toolkit
AEC Member Training Day resources (held 06/07/2023)
ANZCCART ComPass training program

Monash Resources

Animal Ethics Intranet

MARP PQMS online repository (login required)

Aquacore SOPs online database

MBI SOPs online database

Campus maps

Car parking on campus

eSolutions

University Libraries

Access HR

External Resources

Australian and New Zealand Council for the Care of Animals in Research and Teaching (ANZCCART)

Australian and New Zealand Laboratory Animal Association (ANZLAA)

The Animal Welfare Science Centre

Agriculture Victoria

National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs)

American Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences (AALAS)

Wildlife Research in Australia: Practical and Applied Methods (ebook)


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