Regarding IACUC under Subpart C, which statement is true about membership?

Regarding IACUC under Subpart C, which statement is true about membership?

• A. It must include at least three members: a chairperson, a DVM trained in lab animals, and a nonaffiliated member
• B. It must include four members including a veterinarian and a member of the public, but no chair
• C. It requires five members only if PHS standards apply
• D. It must be composed solely of veterinarians

Answer: (A)

The key idea is how IACUC membership is structured under Subpart C: the committee must have at least three members, and those members should bring distinct qualifications to ensure proper oversight of animal use. Specifically, there should be a chairperson to lead the committee, a veterinarian with training or experience in laboratory animal medicine to oversee animal care, and a nonaffiliated member to provide an independent outside perspective. This combination ensures veterinary expertise, independent review, and effective governance. That’s why this statement is the best choice. It directly matches the required minimum composition and leadership. The other options don’t fit because: one omits the chair or misstates the required leadership; another ties the three-member minimum to PHS standards rather than Subpart C, which isn’t the controlling rule for this subpart; and the last incorrectly suggests the committee must be composed solely of veterinarians, which ignores the need for nonaffiliated and additional perspectives.

The key idea is how IACUC membership is structured under Subpart C: the committee must have at least three members, and those members should bring distinct qualifications to ensure proper oversight of animal use. Specifically, there should be a chairperson to lead the committee, a veterinarian with training or experience in laboratory animal medicine to oversee animal care, and a nonaffiliated member to provide an independent outside perspective. This combination ensures veterinary expertise, independent review, and effective governance.

That’s why this statement is the best choice. It directly matches the required minimum composition and leadership. The other options don’t fit because: one omits the chair or misstates the required leadership; another ties the three-member minimum to PHS standards rather than Subpart C, which isn’t the controlling rule for this subpart; and the last incorrectly suggests the committee must be composed solely of veterinarians, which ignores the need for nonaffiliated and additional perspectives.