How to Search for Alternatives
(Printable pdf)
5-3-04

Tips on Searching for alternatives to fulfill the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act /Section E. Animal Welfare of the Protocol for Use of Live Vertebrates for Principal Investigators

Recent Articles on Animal Testing Alternatives from PubMed January 2004

I. Please!

• Perform the search for alternatives BEFORE preparing the rest of the protocol.
• Learn how to search for alternatives by reading one of the guides (listed in Section II below) and/or consulting with a UT Librarian or AWIC (Animal Welfare Information Center) Information Specialist BEFORE performing the search for alternatives.
• At the end of the search, have a record of the following:
  1. the databases searched or other sources consulted to confirm that less painful alternative methods are or are not available
  2. the date of the search and the years covered by the search (back 5-10 years is optimal)
  3. keywords and/or search strategy used
• If it is a teaching protocol, search each of the 4 alternatives databases
  (NORINA, EURCA, AVAR, InterNICHE) on the UCDavis site.
• Be aware that writing the narrative is separate from the search for alternatives.
• If the animal research is to be done at a non-UT facility (outside contractor), you must consult with the Animal Welfare Information Center (AWIC/USDA) staff about the search for alternatives, in order to ensure that the search is done according to best practices on protocols that may have very different objectives than those commonly seen by the UT IACUC, relieve the PI and librarians at UT from what may be difficult searches for alternatives far removed from their areas of expertise, and to remove any conflict of interest. Please contact AWIC at (301) 504-6212, FAX: (301) 504-7125, E-mail: awic@nal.usda.gov

II. The guides below recommend the two-phase search for alternatives (Phase I -- Reduction and Refinement, Phase II --Replacement), plus advice about keywords, documentation, and writing the narrative required by Section E.

• NIH Library “Searching for Alternatives to Painful Procedures Used on Research Animals”
  http://nihlibrary.ors.nih.gov/training/AlternativesSearchTips2-5-04.pdf
  
  Brief, well-organized guide in outline format.
  
• “The Search for Refinement Alternatives: When You’ve Just Got to Use Animals” by Michael Kreger, Lab Animal, April 2000 page 22-29. http://www.labanimal.com/iacuc/kreger0400.pdf

  Comprehensive article that includes a sample search, legal requirements, writing the narrative, and tips for what makes a good search. Kreger focuses on refinement alternatives, which have been found to be the reason that 18% of protocols are returned to the PI for modifications1. Modifications to project design, euthanasia method, housing and husbandry are often requested by IACUCs.

  1Hagelin, J et al., The refining influence of ethics committees on animal experimentation in Sweden, Laboratory Animals, Volume 31, Number 1, January 2003, p. 10-18. [QL55.A1L43 v. 37 no. 1 2003]

III. Performing the search: do-it-yourself or assisted

1. Do-it-yourself: go to the list of databases on the UT Libraries’ network at http://www.lib.utk.edu/databases/

   Recommended databases for alternatives searches:

   Pubmed
   CAB
   BIOSIS/Biological Abstracts
   Web of Science
   Wildlife and Ecology Studies Worldwide
   PsycInfo and PsycArticles

   Other: Other databases and sources of information are listed on the guides in section II above. Other sources should be considered –the staff at the Animal Welfare Information Center are the best source for suggestions about other sources to search.

   Reminder for the do-it-yourself searcher: If the animals are to be used for teaching, you must search for alternatives in the databases on the list maintained by the UC Davis Center for Animal Alternatives.
   
   The URL is: http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/Animal_ Alternatives / altsearch.htm

2. Assisted searches: UT librarian or AWIC Information Specialist
   
   UT: The librarian assigned to your department at the University of Tennessee can be found at
   h ttp://www.lib.utk.edu/refs/reference/subjlibrnsbydept.html

   AWIC: Contact an information specialist at the Animal Welfare Information Center/USDA at 301-504-6212 voice, 301-504-7125 fax or awic@nal.usda.gov.

   A list of personnel is at http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/contact.htm

   The AWIC brochure that provides an overview of services is at
   http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/contact.htm
   
   Animal research to be done at a facility (e.g. coroporation) not affiliated with UT must use AWIC for the alternatives search.