Retention of IACUC Related Records

Aerial view of the 91��Ԫ campus and buildings around UM's Oval in Missoula, MT.

Research Compliance and Tech Transfer

Retention of IACUC Related Records

Number: IACUC-POL-004

Responsible Office: Office of Research and Creative Scholarship (ORCS)

Applies to: IACUC Office, Occupational Health Safety Team

1. Purpose

This policy outlines the requirements for retention, storage, and disposal of records related to the oversight of animal care and use at 91��Ԫ, in compliance with federal regulations and institutional policy.

2. Policy

Policies and procedures for the Office for Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) require maintaining certain IACUC-related documents for a specified number of years. 

3. Types of Records and Retention Requirements

Types of records and retention requirements information
Record	Retention Period	References
IACUC Records:  Minutes of IACUC meetings	At least 3 years  Records that relate to ongoing  activities shall be maintained for the duration of the activity and for an additional three years	Animal Welfare Act, 9 CFR 2.35;  NRC, 8th ed., 2011
IACUC Records:  Records of meeting attendance	At least 3 years  Records that relate to ongoing  activities shall be maintained for the duration of the activity and for an additional three years	Animal Welfare Act, 9 CFR 2.35;  PHS Policy IV.E
IACUC Records:  Activities of the committee	At least 3 years  Records that relate to ongoing  activities shall be maintained for the duration of the activity and for an additional three years	Animal Welfare Act, 9 CFR 2.35;  PHS Policy IV.E
IACUC Records:  Committee deliberations	At least 3 years  Records that relate to ongoing  activities shall be maintained for the duration of the activity and for an additional three years	Animal Welfare Act, 9 CFR 2.35;  PHS Policy IV.E
IACUC Records:  Animal Use Protocols	At least 3 years  Records that relate to ongoing  activities shall be maintained for the duration of the activity and for an additional three years	AWAR & PHS Policy
IACUC Records:  Proposed activities involving animals (including  documentation of IACUC  approval/denial)	At least 3 years  Records that relate to ongoing  activities shall be maintained for the duration of the activity and for an additional three years	Animal Welfare Act, 9 CFR 2.35;  PHS Policy IV.E
IACUC Records:  Proposed significant changes in activities involving animals  (including documentation of IACUC approval/denial)	At least 3 years  Records that relate to ongoing  activities shall be maintained for the duration of the activity and for an additional three years	Animal Welfare Act, 9 CFR 2.35;  PHS Policy IV.E
IACUC Records:  Semi-Annual IACUC reports   and recommendations	At least 3 years  Records that relate to ongoing  activities shall be maintained for the duration of the activity and for an additional three years	Animal Welfare Act, 9 CFR 2.35;  PHS Policy IV.E
IACUC Records:  Any reports and  recommendations as forwarded to the IO	At least 3 years  Records that relate to ongoing  activities shall be maintained for the duration of the activity and for an additional three years	NRC, 8th ed., 2011
IACUC Records:  Reports to OLAW or USDA	At least 3 years	PHS Policy IV.E, AWAR §2.36(b)
Institutional Assurances	Active + 3 years after expiration	PHS Policy IV.E
Animal Husbandry, logs and records	At least 3 years  Records that relate to ongoing  activities shall be maintained for the duration of the activity and for an additional three years	PHS Policy, AWAR
DEA records and logs (DEA Registrant specific)	Kept by DEA Registrant in accordance with federal regulations
OH&S records (Risk  Assessment, Medical  Surveillance, Respirator  Recommendation)	Kept in accordance with Health Information Management Standards

4. References

Animal Welfare Act Regulations (AWAR) – 9 CFR § 2.35(f)
Public Health Service Policy (PHS Policy IV.E)
Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (NRC, 8th ed., 2011)

5. Review, Approval and Version History

Review, approval, and version history of policy
Version	Date	Description of Changes	Approved By
1.0	June 9, 2009	Initial policy creation	IACUC
2.0	September 13, 2017	Review	Heivilin
3.0	August 20, 2025	Review and Rewrite	Hicks