The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (the Guide) is a primary international reference on animal care and use in research. This resource provides guidelines for institutions to develop animal research programs that support high-quality science while also embracing humane treatment of animals, and its use is required for federal compliance with the U.S. Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. To inform future updates or revisions to the Guide, the Standing Committee for the Care and Use of Animals in Research held 25 listening sessions over a 2.5-year period with a wide array of interest groups. These listening sessions, together with the Veterinary Consortium for Research Animal Care and Welfare Guide Revision Survey, established themes for a workshop where key topics could be explored in greater depth.
The 2-day virtual workshop, held on April 23 and 24, 2024, brought together experts from diverse backgrounds, including laboratory animal experts, researchers, veterinary medicine practitioners, engineers, and members of professional societies, with representatives from academia, industry, federal agencies, and an accrediting organization, to share perspectives on a range of topics relevant to future Guide updates.