IACUC Operating Regulations

Pursuant to Article 51 of the Animal Protection Act, the purpose of these Regulations is to establish the matters necessary for the establishment and operation of the Seoul National University Hospital Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee (hereinafter referred to as the "Committee"; the English name of the Committee shall be "Seoul National University Hospital-Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee: SNUH-IACUC") in order to promote the protection and ethical treatment of laboratory animals used in animal experiments conducted at Seoul National University Hospital. (Amended on 2023.6.1.)

Except as otherwise provided by relevant statutes regarding the establishment and operation of the Committee, the matters set forth in these Regulations shall apply.

① The Committee shall be composed of not fewer than 4 and not more than 15 members, including one chairperson. (Amended on 2021.3.9. and 2021.10.21.)

② Members shall be appointed or commissioned by the Hospital Director from among the following persons. (Amended on 2016.8.29., 2021.3.9., and 2021.10.21.) (Proviso deleted on 2021.10.21.)

1. 1. A veterinarian who meets the qualification standards prescribed by Ordinance of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
2. 2. A person with extensive knowledge of and experience in animal protection recommended by a private organization under Article 4(3) of the Animal Protection Act, who meets the qualification standards prescribed by Ordinance of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (Amended on 2023.6.1.)
3. 3. A person who has obtained a doctoral degree in the field of animal experimentation and has experience in the management of animal experiments or in animal experimentation work
4. 4. Any other person necessary to promote the protection and ethical treatment of laboratory animals, as prescribed by Ordinance of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

③ In appointing or commissioning members pursuant to paragraph 2, at least one member each falling under subparagraphs 1, 2, and 3 of paragraph 2 shall be included, and at least one-third of all members shall be persons who have no interest in the relevant animal experimentation institution. In such cases, at least one of the members falling under subparagraphs 1 and 3 of paragraph 2, and the member falling under subparagraph 2 of paragraph 2, shall be persons who are not employed by the relevant animal experimentation facility and have no interest in the relevant animal experimentation facility. (Newly inserted on 2021.10.21.)

④ The selection procedure for members under subparagraph 2 of paragraph 2 shall be separately prescribed in the Standard Operating Procedures. (Newly inserted on 2008.10.31.)

⑤ (Amended on 2008.10.31.) (Deleted on 2016.8.29.)

⑥ The term of office of members shall be 2 years, and members may be reappointed. However, the term of office of a newly commissioned member shall be the remaining term of office of the other members. (Amended on 2008.10.31. and 2008.12.26.)

⑦ For the smooth operation of the Committee, the chairperson may designate a vice-chairperson where necessary. (Amended on 2008.10.31.)

① The Committee shall guide and supervise the relevant animal experimentation facility through the following methods.

1. 1. Review and approval of the ethical and scientific validity of animal experiments
2. 2. Verification and evaluation of the production, introduction, management, experimentation, and use of laboratory animals, and the handling of such animals after the completion of experiments
3. 3. Verification and evaluation of education and training, etc., for the operators or workers of the animal experimentation facility
4. 4. Verification and evaluation of the operational status of the animal experimentation facility

② The Committee shall guide and supervise so that animal experiments are conducted in accordance with the principles of Article 47 of the Animal Protection Act, and may require the operators or workers of the animal experimentation facility to take measures necessary for the protection and ethical treatment of laboratory animals. (Amended on 2023.6.1.)

① The chairperson shall be elected by mutual vote from among the members.

② The chairperson shall be the presiding officer of the Committee, represent the Committee, and oversee the affairs of the Committee.

③ When the chairperson is unable to perform their duties, a member previously delegated by the chairperson shall act on their behalf. However, where no prior delegation has been made, a member may be appointed by resolution of the Committee to act on the chairperson's behalf.

① Meetings of the Committee shall be convened and presided over by the chairperson.

② As a rule, meetings shall be convened at least twice each year; however, in any of the following cases, the chairperson may convene an extraordinary meeting. Provided that, where the chairperson deems it necessary for urgent or unavoidable reasons, and in the case of the review of an animal study protocol, this may be substituted with a written or electronic document. (Amended on 2021.10.21.)

1. 1. When there is a request to convene a meeting from the Director of the Research Institute
2. 2. When there is a request to convene a meeting from at least one-third of the members
3. 3. When the chairperson otherwise deems it necessary and urgently convenes a meeting

③ When the chairperson intends to convene a meeting, they shall notify each member, in writing or by electronic document, of the date, time, place, and agenda items to be tabled at least 3 days prior to the date of the meeting. However, this shall not apply where it is necessary to urgently convene an extraordinary meeting pursuant to the proviso of paragraph 2.

④ Meetings of the Committee shall be opened with the attendance of a majority of the incumbent members and resolved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the incumbent members. However, where attendance is not possible, a member may submit a power of attorney to delegate the right to review and vote. (Amended on 2016.8.29., 2021.3.9., and 2021.10.21.)

⑤ When reviewing an animal study protocol, a resolution shall be made with the participation of a majority of the incumbent members and the affirmative vote of a majority of the participating members; at least one member under subparagraph 1 of paragraph 2 of Article 3 and at least one member who has no interest in the animal experimentation institution shall participate. (Newly inserted on 2021.3.9.) (Amended on 2021.10.21.)

⑥ Where the Committee deems it necessary in connection with the matters for the meeting and review, it may request relevant persons to attend and hear their opinions.

① To facilitate the smooth operation of meetings, the chairperson shall select expert members from among the members according to the content of the research to be reviewed.

② Expert members shall perform the following duties of the Committee under the direction of the chairperson.

1. 1. Examine the relevant research thoroughly from ethical and scientific perspectives.
2. 2. Other matters directed by the chairperson

① Where advice from an expert in the relevant field is required regarding matters under review by the Committee, advisory members may be appointed; advisory members shall be commissioned with the approval of the chairperson upon recommendation by the Committee.

② A prescribed advisory fee may be paid to advisory members.

③ An invited advisory member may not participate in resolutions.

① The Committee shall have a technical secretary and an administrative secretary, each of whom shall be a person designated by the chairperson.

② The technical secretary shall perform the following duties of the Committee under the direction of the chairperson.

1. 1. Matters relating to the review of the Committee's agenda items and the operation of meetings
2. 2. Matters relating to administrative management and support for the operation of the Committee
3. 3. Other matters directed by the chairperson

③ The administrative secretary shall support the technical secretary in all administrative matters related to the operation of the Committee.

① Members of the Committee shall not disclose or misappropriate any confidential information learned in the course of performing their duties.

② Where there is a request to inspect or obtain records related to the activities of the Committee, the approval of the Committee shall be obtained; in the case of a request from an external institution or external person, approval shall be obtained from the Hospital Director through the Committee. (Amended on 2021.3.9.)

① A member shall be excluded from the review and resolution of an agenda item under review in any of the following cases.

1. 1. Where the member has directly participated or will participate in the research, development, or use, etc., relating to the agenda item under review
2. 2. Where the member is an interested party in the agenda item under review

② A person who has applied for the review of an animal study protocol may file a challenge against a member where any of the grounds under the subparagraphs of paragraph 1 applies.

③ Where any of the grounds under the subparagraphs of paragraph 1 applies to a member, the member may voluntarily recuse themselves from the review and resolution of that agenda item.

Where a member falls under any of the following subparagraphs, the Director of the Research Institute may dismiss the member through a resolution of the Committee. (Newly inserted on 2008.10.31.)

1. 1. Where the member has disclosed or misappropriated confidential information learned in the course of performing their duties
2. 2. Where the member has committed an act that damages the reputation of the Committee

① The secretary shall prepare the minutes of the Committee's meeting results, obtain the signatures or signed seals of all attending members, and report them to the Director of the Research Institute.

② The minutes prepared pursuant to paragraph 1 shall be retained for at least 3 years. (Newly inserted on 2021.10.21.)

③ The Committee shall report the results of its inspections to the Director of the Research Institute on a semiannual basis.

④ The Hospital Director shall, by January 31 of the following year, notify the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs of the matters concerning the operation of the Committee and the status of animal experiments each year, pursuant to Article 21(7) of the Enforcement Decree of the Animal Protection Act. (Amended on 2016.8.29. and 2023.6.1.)

The detailed matters necessary for the operation of these Regulations shall be determined by the chairperson following a resolution of the Committee.