In response to the questions posed in this scenario, the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) offers the following clarification and guidance:

The PHS Policy (section IV.A.3.b.) requires the veterinarian appointed to the IACUC to be a “Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, with training or experience in laboratory animal science and medicine, who has direct or delegated program authority and responsibility for activities involving animals at the institutions”1. In OLAW's interpretation, the authority and responsibility of the veterinarian to implement the PHS Policy and the provisions of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals2 extends across the entire animal program3. “Direct authority” means that the veterinarian is an employee of the institution and therefore has direct authority by virtue of position. A veterinarian retained by an institution through a written contract is granted delegated authority and responsibility for animal activities by the institution. In all cases, the veterinarian responsible for implementing the program is considered to be affiliated with the institution.

A recent webinar posted by OLAW4 provides a more detailed explanation of the role of the veterinarian and how it is best described in the Animal Welfare Assurance between an institution and OLAW.

Return to Protocol Review