The Post-Approval Review Program (PAR Program) is mandated by the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) for all animal research and teaching courses with animals. The PAR Program has a variety of components that serve to help ensure that animal use in research or teaching is in accordance with what is detailed in approved AUPs as well as with other best practice standards.
PAR Program Components
- Quality Assurance (QA) visits
- Active monitoring and care of research and teaching animals by veterinary staff
- Animal welfare documents and records
- Veterinary consultations
- Ongoing education and training
- Local Animal Care Committee (LACC) site visits and tours
- Visits to lab-managed animal use spaces
Benefits of the PAR Program
Protects researchers and the institution by preventing or resolving any potential regulatory concerns and by ensuring best practices are employed with respect to animal care and welfare - Serves as an opportunity for constructive interaction and education between the research staff, veterinary and animal care staff, the LACCs, and the Animal Ethics and Compliance Unit (AECU)
- Helps prepare for visits by external regulators, such as inspections by the Veterinary Inspector from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), and assessments by the CCAC
Once protocol work is initiated, PAR begins with daily oversight from animal care or veterinary, and/or compliance staff as they will be in contact with research/teaching lab members in regards to any concerns. Additionally, users will be contacted to arrange for the following planned lab-managed space visits.
- Annual Quality Assurance Analyst (QAA) and/or LACC visit
- QA visits occurring approximately every 2 years
Lab-managed space visits are visits to all spaces where live animals are used or housed within U of T campuses. This includes space both in animal facilities that are lab-managed and any lab-managed external spaces.
QA visits are scheduled meetings between a research or teaching lab and a QAA from the AECU. The QA visit involves a collegial review of protocol procedures and related documents, by observation and/or discussion, to ensure that everything is in compliance with relevant regulations and that procedures in place match those described in the approved AUP.
The procedure review will be arranged to minimize disruption to research activity. In advance of the visit, the lab will be provided with a checklist of regulatory requirements for awareness and reference. At the visit, the QAA can also address regulatory questions or concerns held by the lab. QAAs provide feedback on animal procedures and surgical techniques during the observation portion of the QA visit and work with investigators to ensure any identified concerns are resolved following the visit.
- Facilitate and support the QA and lab-managed space visits
- Liaise with researchers, animal care staff, and senior administrators to promote compliance
