University Standard
Title
University Standard on the Use of Images, Audio Recordings, and Videos in Animal Research
Introduction
Purpose
The standards and procedures described below provide guidance to all researchers and animal handlers for the collection and use of media, defined as images, photographs, videos, and certain audio recordings, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (“UNC-Chapel Hill” or “University”).
Scope
This Standard applies to all personnel and investigators involved in research with animals (“Covered Individuals”) and media, collected specifically as part of an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (“IACUC”) approved animal care and use protocol. The UNC-Chapel Hill IACUC expects that anyone involved in animal work at the University will comply with this Standard.
Requests for exception to this Standard must be reviewed and approved by the IACUC before media is collected.
Media collection must be described in an approved IACUC protocol or amendment prior to collection. Before collected media is published or otherwise shared for public-facing purposes beyond the UNC-Chapel Hill research community, it must be submitted for review and approval by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR).
Standard
In accordance with the UNC-Chapel Hill Policy on Research Data Ownership, the University owns all Research Data generated with the support of University resources and maintains control of the original research data to allow the University to fulfill its obligations, including, but not limited to, protecting participant privacy, accounting for sponsored research funding, promoting ethical use of data, and complying with retention requirements.
Covered Individuals who photograph, video, or otherwise record any aspect of their research, education, and/or teaching utilizing animals must adhere to applicable University policy. To help ensure that the proper safety precautions have been taken, Covered Individuals are required to complete each of the steps indicated in this Standard prior to collecting visual media or audio recordings involving animals. Principal Investigators (“PI”) retain responsibility for all activities conducted under their relevant protocol. Any such recordings that are intended to be shared with non-UNC-Chapel Hill individuals, published, or otherwise shared with the public, should be submitted to the University’s Office of Animal Care and Use (OACU) for pre-review and coordination of final OVCR review and approval prior to dissemination.
1. Criteria for Review
Review is not required for media collected solely for experimental purposes that will not be shared outside of (1) the lab staff, (2) the UNC-Chapel Hill research community or (3) with trusted collaborators who will not use the media for public-facing purposes.
Media that will be published, shared (e.g., posters, seminars, conferences), or otherwise distributed beyond the UNC-Chapel Hill research community require review prior to release. This includes photographs and video recordings of live or deceased animals in which part or all of the animal is visible, and audio recordings of animal vocalizations.
Medical imaging techniques in non-USDA regulated species such as radiographs, MRI, PET, CT, SPECT, DEXA, IVIS, fluoroscopy and ultrasound imaging do not require review prior to publishing or sharing outside the University. However, medical imaging of USDA-regulated species (e.g., pigs, dogs, rabbits, non-human primates, etc.) may require review. In these cases, the Pl should submit the material to OACU and will be advised if further review and approval of any medical imaging in animals is necessary.
In addition, medical or diagnostic recordings such as EKG and electroencephalograms for any species are not subject to review.
The IACUC reserves the right to recommend review by the OVCR of any media collected, based on content and proposed distribution.
2. IACUC-approved protocol (“ACAP”)
The intent to record animal research must be clearly described in the IACUC-approved protocol, stating at a minimum:
- The type of media to be used
- The location where it will be collected (i.e., the investigator's laboratory, a non-Division of Comparative Medicine ("DCM") procedure room, or in a DCM-maintained facility)
- The animals to be used
- A description of the procedure which will be recorded
If a Covered Individual determines that visual media is desired after a protocol is approved, they must submit a protocol amendment and receive IACUC approval prior to recording research animals.
3. DCM approval
- In DCM-maintained areas, including DCM Core facilities (e.g., Gnotobiotics, Zebrafish and Aquatics), recording any images, audio, or video of animals within the animal facilities without prior written approval from a designate of the DCM Director is prohibited.
- Any visitor who is a professional (photographer, videographer) brought into a DCM facility for the purpose of creating a recording must have prior approval from DCM and must follow established visitor requirements and policies.
- Anyone observing someone recording animals or personnel in a DCM animal facility or procedure room, with a reasonable belief it is in violation of this Standard, should notify the DCM Manager/Supervisor immediately.
- To obtain approval, contact DCM at dcm-aods@office.unc.edu and provide the information below.
- The type of media
- Location where recording will be done (DCM animal facility, DCM procedure room).
- Name of individual(s) taking the recordings.
- The recording method (e.g., video camera, cell phone, etc.)
- The protocol ID # and type of animals to be recorded.
- The procedure to be recorded.
- A justification for why the recording is needed.
Permission is required in writing and must be uploaded to your protocol in ACAP prior to conducting the first recording.
For permission to record in a non-DCM Core facility, contact the Core facility manager.
4. Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (“OVCR”) approval
Prior to the Covered Individual submitting any media depicting animals to manuscripts, publishers, or sharing publicly with non-UNC-Chapel Hill personnel, the Covered Individual must receive approval from the OVCR. OACU will coordinate the process. The following steps are required:
- Once the Covered Individual has received IACUC protocol approval for the described recording as well as DCM or Core approval (if applicable), any media intended to be published or otherwise shared with a non-UNC-Chapel Hill entity or third party for public-facing purposes must be submitted by the Covered Individual to the OACU for review. Media which will remain with the laboratory, or with trusted UNC or non-UNC colleagues, and will not be shared publicly or published, are not required to be submitted.
- Complete a Request to Upload Media Files, also linked on the ACAP homepage, to begin the review process.
- OACU staff and IACUC will assess the media content.
- After assessing the submitted media, the OACU will submit the files to the OVCR for review, comment and final approval.
- The Covered Individual must wait for final approval from OVCR prior to sharing recording.
Nothing in this policy should be interpreted to limit or contradict any applicable law or regulation.
For questions or concerns, please contact the OACU at 919-966-5569 or iacuc@med.unc.edu
Exceptions
Requests for exceptions to this Standard must be reviewed and approved by the IACUC.
This Standard does not apply to media collected as part of DCM veterinary animal care, animal welfare, or IACUC animal concern investigations.
Definitions
- IACUC: Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
- DCM: Division of Comparative Medicine
- OACU: Office of Animal Care and Use
- University Standard: The minimum acceptable limits or rules used to achieve Policy implementation, enforceable by the IACUC.
- IACUC Protocol: The animal use application which describes research activities in detail and is reviewed and approved by the IACUC.
- Amendment: Changes to the IACUC protocol which require IACUC review and approval prior to implementation.
- USDA: United States Department of Agriculture
- Non-USDA Regulated Species: Not governed under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA); includes mice (genus Mus), rats (genus Rattus), fish, reptiles, amphibians, and birds specifically bred for research
Related Requirements
External Regulations and Consequences
University Policies, Standards, and Procedures
Contact Information
Policy Contact
- Name: Michael Chi
- Title: Associate Director, Office of Animal Care and Use
- Email: mchi@unc.edu
Subject: Office of Animal Care and Use
Subject: Animal Health and Husbandry (DCM)