Dr. Stesso Virale relocated to Great Eastern University (GEU) after working at Great Western University (GWU) for over ten years. Dr. Virale’s research involves a line of transgenic mice that requires treatment with tamoxifen to activate a gene of interest.
Mr. Cooper, the GEU Post-Approval Monitor, decided to visit with Dr. Virale once his mouse colony and laboratory were established. During the visit, Cooper discovered that Virale was housing his tamoxifen-treated mice in a conventional housing room. Cooper informed Virale that the treated mice must be housed in containment, and, due to the potential non-compliance, a report must be made to the IACUC. Cooper also asked Virale to provide the safety officer with a list of staff members who were potentially exposed to the tamoxifen. Virale was invited to attend a GEU IACUC meeting to discuss the allegation of non-compliance. Before the IACUC meeting, the safety officer performed a risk assessment to identify lab and vivarium members’ exposures levels and the impact the exposure could have had on their health. Upon completing the assessment, a notice was sent to individual staff and vivarium members informing them they may have been exposed to tamoxifen – via the handling of animals that were administered the chemical and/or cages that housed the animals – but that the levels of the chemical were so low that the risk was negligible. Virale also received this notice from the safety officer.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution