In accordance with the IACUC Protocol Amendments and VVC Policy, any changes to a protocol must be approved by the IACUC prior to implementation. Please refer to the Timetable for Protocol Approval page for further information. The following details how to submit an amendment for review and how specific modifications will be addressed: 

IACUC procedure for modifying a protocol is the following:

  1. The PI initiates an amendment in Cayuse by clicking "Start a New Amendment" and provides a description of the proposed changes to the protocol. When appropriate, the justification for the proposed change(s) should be provided in the Reason for Amendment field. Otherwise, justification must be included on the page relevant to the proposed change (Ex: animal numbers justification, experimental design, etc.) 
  2. The amendment form is submitted to the IACUC Office and evaluated by the IACUC Chair and a Vet. This evaluation will determine if the proposed changes are significant and require full committee review (FCR) or designated member review (DMR) OR if the changes can be approved administratively by the Chair and AV or Administrator/Director. 
  3. The PI is informed if the amendment is felt to be significant and requires full committee review (FCR) or designated member review (DMR). The submission will be given a pre-review by the Chair or a scientist reviewer on the IACUC. The PI will make the requested changes and resubmit to the IACUC Office for review. If the amendment requires full committee review, the investigator should resubmit the revised document by the appropriate submission deadline.

Examples of changes which are generally considered to be major (significant), possibly warranting full IACUC review, are:

  • Change in purpose, specific aim, or objectives of a study
  • Change in protocol requiring an animal to undergo more than one survival surgery
  • Increase in the degree of invasiveness of a procedure or discomfort to an animal
  • Change in protocol that would eliminate/restrict an animal's access to veterinary care
  • Change of species
  • Change in protocol where death becomes the experimental endpoint

The IACUC advises investigators to submit significant amendments one month prior to the next scheduled IACUC meeting.

Examples of changes considered to be minor, which can typically be approved by the Chair and Vet, are:

  • Addition of another strain of the same animal species
  • Change in sex of animal to be used
  • Small increase in animal numbers
  • Need to repeat an experiment
  • Addition of minor surgery
  • Addition of sample collection times
  • Additional noninvasive sampling
  • Replacing a procedure with another less painful, stressful or hazardous that achieves the same specific objectives
  • Changing the experimental design to reduce the use of animals
  • Addition of a funding source
  • Removing a proposed experiment from a protocol
  • Updating the alternatives section of a protocol 
  • Changing analgesia or anesthetic on veterinary recommendation

Administrative Changes Approved by IACUC Office: 

Changes that may be approved administratively by the IACUC Office:

  • Correction of typographical errors
  • Correction of grammar 
  • Contact information updates 
  • Change in personnel other than the PI. (There must be an administrative review to ensure that all such personnel are appropriately identified, adequately trained and qualified, enrolled in occupational health and safety programs, and meet other criteria as required by the IACUC)

For Collaborators / Visiting Researchers

For collaborators / visiting researchers, the IACUC must be in receipt of the following documents 1-2 weeks prior to arrival on campus in order to approve the associated personnel amendment; 

A memo on letterhead from the individual's home institution verifying health clearance for exposure to the animal species they intend to work with OR verification of the following test results: 

  • Tetanus (TDap), Booster from the last ten years
  • Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) vaccination or titers
  • Negative Tuberculosis (TB) test from the last 12 months

You may contact the IACUC Office or veterinary staff for assistance with the completion of amendments via iacuc.info@nyu.edu