Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) Practice Exam 2025 - Free ALAT Practice Questions and Study Guide

The essential factor for ensuring ethical treatment of laboratory animals is IACUC Approval. The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is a regulatory body that oversees and evaluates all aspects of an animal care and use program at research institutions. Its primary responsibility is to ensure that the welfare of laboratory animals is safeguarded and that research complies with legal and ethical standards.

IACUC reviews research proposals to ascertain that the proposed studies minimize pain and distress, utilize alternatives to animal testing whenever possible, and follow the principles of humane animal care. The committee also monitors ongoing research to ensure adherence to approved protocols, thus playing a crucial role in maintaining ethical standards in animal research.

While other answer choices may pertain to ethical practices in research broadly, IACUC is specifically designated for the ethical treatment of laboratory animals, focusing on their care and use in research contexts.