An Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is the oversight body responsible for reviewing and approving research involving animals to ensure humane treatment and regulatory compliance.
While IACUCs do not oversee human clinical trials, they govern preclinical animal studies that often support safety justification for initiating human research. IACUC review ensures appropriate study design, veterinary oversight, and minimization of pain and distress. Nonclinical data generated under appropriate oversight strengthens the reliability of evidence used in clinical development decisions. Ethical animal research governance supports responsible translational research foundations.