New IACUC Protocol Application Form – What Comes Next?
In December 2022, we announced that a new Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) protocol application and submission form – commonly referred to as “V2” – was being piloted in eRAM.
To date, 60+ protocols have been created and approved by the IACUC using the new V2 format.
What to Expect
Currently, the V2 template is only available upon request through the Animal Care & Use Office (ACUO). Quality Assurance (QA) Specialists from the ACUO have also been proactively reaching out to PIs who are in the process of developing a new animal use protocol at the university to assist them in the creation of a V2 protocol.
As existing protocols begin to expire over the next three years, all protocols using the current (“V1”) template will be transitioned to the new V2 format. Given the many layout and structural changes (e.g., minimal number of open entry text boxes, addition of picklists and checkboxes, default text and pre-populated fields for common procedures) between the two protocol forms, information from an existing V1 protocol will not automatically copy to the new V2 template at the time of protocol renewal.
Accordingly, Study Teams will no longer be able to create new or renewal V1 protocols after the tentative ‘go live’ date later this year. All V1 protocols that have already been initiated prior to this date will continue through the IACUC review and approval process, and no duplicate information will need to be entered.
How to Get Started
Any PI who is (1) creating an animal use protocol at the U-M for the first time or (2) whose protocol is due to expire in early 2024 will be contacted by a member of the QA Team to help facilitate a smooth transition to the new template. Additionally, a PI can initiate a new V2 protocol at any time by contacting the QA Team.
QA Team assistance can be requested by emailing ACUO-RCAs@umich.edu or by accessing the QA Team’s Virtual Office Hours Queue via Zoom. Office hours are available on a drop-in basis Monday – Friday from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Where to Learn More
An overview of changes that Study Teams can expect to see in V2 can be found on the eRAM Reference Materials website.
Additional information will also be posted to the Animal Care & Use Program website in the near future.