Regulations, Organizations, Guidelines and SOPs
The following links are to provide guidance and standard operating procedures to assist researchers in following the policies related to the ethical conduct of research involving animals.
Federal Regulations
Organizations
There are many organizations across the United States offering information and additional resources supporting the use of animals in research.
Guidelines
- Comparative Medicine Guidelines
- Guidelines for Determining Pain Categories for Behavioral Testing (UPDATED APRIL 2025)
- Guidelines for Recognition of Pain/Distress, Use of Anesthetics and Analgesics in Laboratory Animals(UPDATED UPDATED OCTOBER 2024)
- Guidelines for Lidocaine and Bupivacaine for Line Block Anesthesia in Rats and Mice (UPDATED JANUARY 2024)
- Guidelines for the Use of Buprenorphine (Buprenex) in Rodents (UPDATED JANUARY 2024)
- Guidelines for Drop Method of Anesthesia (UPDATED MARCH 2025)
- Guidelines for Rodent Survival Blood Collection (UPDATED JANUARY 2024)
- Guidelines for the Preparation and Use of MS222 (TMS, tricaine methanesulfonate) for Animal Procedures(UPDATED AUGUST 2023)
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)