Policy on Research Involving Animals

This journal is committed to high scientific, ethical, and humane standards for research involving animals. All research submitted for publication that uses vertebrate animals must follow the principles outlined in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (8th edition) and comparable international standards.

1. Ethical Review and Compliance

Before starting any animal study, authors must obtain approval from an independent Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or an equivalent ethics review board. The name of the approving committee and the protocol approval number must be clearly stated in the Methods section of the manuscript. Without documented approval, the manuscript will not be considered for review.

2. The “3Rs” Principle

Authors are expected to apply the internationally accepted 3Rs framework to make animal use as humane and scientifically justified as possible:

Replacement: Whenever scientifically valid alternatives (such as in vitro or computational models) exist, they should be used in place of live animals.

Reduction: Use only the minimum number of animals necessary to achieve reliable and statistically sound results.

Refinement: Modify procedures and care to minimize pain, distress, and suffering for the animals involved.

These practices help ensure ethical treatment and enhance the scientific quality of research.

3. Housing and Husbandry

Animals must be housed and cared for in conditions that support their physiological and behavioral needs. This includes providing:

  1. appropriate space and environmental conditions (temperature, light, noise control),
  2. access to clean food and water, and social housing when appropriate for the species.

These standards should align with recognized guidelines for animal care.

4. Procedural Standards

Pain Management

All procedures must include appropriate protocols for anesthesia, sedation, and analgesia to prevent unnecessary pain. The specific agents, dosages, and regimens used must be described in the manuscript.

Euthanasia

When euthanasia is necessary, it must be performed using methods that are consistent with current humane guidelines, such as those from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) or other relevant authorities.

5. Manuscript Requirements

In the Methods section, authors must clearly describe:

  1. the species, strain, sex, age, and weight of the animals used,
  2. a detailed description of all procedures performed,
  3. a statement confirming compliance with relevant national and institutional guidelines (explicitly citing the Guide where applicable), and
  4. the IACUC approval number and the institution granting approval.

Detailed reporting allows reviewers and readers to evaluate ethical and humane treatment.

6. Post-Publication Accountability

The journal reserves the right to request original ethical approval documents after publication. If ethical non-compliance or misconduct is identified, the journal may:

  1. reject the manuscript before publication, or
  2. issue a retraction or correction after publication.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their research adheres to all ethical standards throughout the research and publication process