Direct comparison
AAALAC vs. IACUC: What's the Difference?
IACUC is a mandatory institutional committee approving animal-use protocols; AAALAC is voluntary accreditation of the whole program. Compared side by side.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | AAALAC International | IACUC |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A private, nonprofit peer-review accreditation body (est. 1965, current name and structure since 1996). | An institutional committee that each animal-research facility is legally required to establish under 9 CFR 2.31 and PHS Policy IV. |
| Legal basis | None — no US statute or funding regulation requires AAALAC accreditation. It is a voluntary program an institution opts into. | Mandatory under the Animal Welfare Act (9 CFR 2.31, USDA/APHIS-enforced) for AWA-covered species, and under PHS Policy (via NIH/OLAW Assurance) for any PHS-funded activity involving live vertebrate animals. |
| What it reviews | The institution's entire animal-care-and-use <em>program</em>: IACUC function, veterinary care, housing/husbandry, occupational health and safety, training, physical plant — benchmarked against the <a href='/guides/guide-for-the-care-and-use-of-laboratory-animals'>Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals</a> and, where applicable, the Ag Guide or European Convention ETS 123. | Individual animal-use protocols (species, numbers, procedures, pain/distress category, alternatives considered) before work starts, plus ongoing semiannual program review and facility inspection at the institution. |
| Mandatory? | No. An institution can lawfully run an animal-research program indefinitely without ever seeking AAALAC accreditation, provided it meets AWA/PHS Policy requirements. | Yes. A functioning IACUC is a precondition for using AWA-covered species and for receiving PHS funding for animal research; there is no lawful substitute. |
| Who conducts the review | Volunteer ad hoc consultants (working veterinarians and scientists) who conduct a site visit; findings go to AAALAC's Council on Accreditation, which grants, defers, or denies accreditation. | The institution's own appointed committee — at least three members including one veterinarian with laboratory-animal training and one member unaffiliated with the institution (9 CFR 2.31). |
| Review cycle | Full site visit every three years, with a required annual report to AAALAC in between. | Protocol review before each new project and at least annually thereafter; program review and facility inspection at least every six months (semiannually). |
| Standard applied | The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (8th edition) and, for non-laboratory or non-US programs, the Ag Guide or European Convention ETS 123 — all set above the regulatory floor. | The Animal Welfare Act/regulations and PHS Policy (which itself incorporates the Guide as its operating standard) — the baseline legal/funding-condition requirements. |
| Outcome of the review | A program-wide accreditation status (full, provisional/deferred, or denied) publicly listed by AAALAC; renewable on the triennial cycle. | Approval, required-modifications, or disapproval of a specific protocol; program review findings (deficiencies, minor/significant) reported to the Institutional Official and, where required, to OLAW/USDA. |
| How they relate | Treats the IACUC's own semiannual program reviews and inspection reports as primary evidence during a site visit — it does not replace the IACUC, it audits how well the IACUC (and the wider program around it) is working. | Continues to operate exactly the same way whether or not the institution is AAALAC-accredited; accreditation is a program-level credential layered on top of the committee's ongoing, legally required work. |
Common questions
FAQ
Does AAALAC accreditation replace the need for an IACUC?+
No. Every institution using AWA-covered species or PHS funding must maintain a functioning IACUC regardless of accreditation status. AAALAC accreditation is an additional, voluntary program-level credential built on top of that mandatory committee structure, not a substitute for it.
Is AAALAC accreditation required to receive NIH funding?+
No. NIH funding requires an approved PHS Assurance on file with OLAW and a functioning IACUC operating under PHS Policy; it does not require AAALAC accreditation. Many PHS-funded institutions seek AAALAC accreditation voluntarily as evidence their program exceeds the regulatory floor, but it is not a funding condition.
Who actually inspects an animal facility more often, AAALAC or the IACUC?+
The IACUC, by a wide margin. The IACUC (or its designated inspectors) conducts semiannual program review and facility inspection at the institution itself, while AAALAC's own site visit occurs roughly once every three years.
Can an institution lose AAALAC accreditation without losing its ability to use animals in research?+
Yes. AAALAC accreditation status and legal authorization to conduct animal research are independent. An institution that is denied or loses AAALAC accreditation can still lawfully continue animal research as long as it continues to meet AWA and/or PHS Policy requirements through its IACUC and Assurance.
