Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs) and their international equivalents are the primary oversight mechanism for laboratory animal welfare, but face significant challenges.
Institutional oversight committees are a crucial welfare safeguard but their effectiveness varies considerably. Committees may lack expertise in specific species welfare, face pressure to approve industry-funded research, or have insufficient resources for thorough post-approval monitoring. Non-affiliated community members often have limited power relative to institutional researchers. Conflicts of interest arise when committee members review protocols from their own departments. Strengthening committee independence, improving training in welfare science, and increasing transparency of committee decisions are important areas for improvement. Some advocates argue for external, independent review to supplement internal oversight.