Animal research is a privilege entrusted to scientists by the public. This situation is unfortunate, but the bottom line is that without an approved animal protocol, the publication, regardless of the findings, cannot stand as submitted. First, it is the responsibility of the PI to submit an animal protocol for the work that was already done and self-report the misstep in an official manner to the IACUC. It is a difficult situation, but not correcting this situation would make it worse. If the IACUC approves the protocol as the work was previously completed, then the PI should contact the journal to request an addendum to the article be placed explaining the mistake. Additionally, the IACUC could require that the investigator be present at a full committee meeting and explain in person to at least a quorum of the committee why there was a failure to ensure that the animal work was on an approved animal protocol before beginning the study.

If the IACUC cannot approve the experiment as performed, the PI must request the article be retracted. When the IACUC does approve the experiment with necessary modifications, the work should be repeated using the approved methodologies and then submitted to the same journal. If the science is good, reproducing the study should occur without incidence. The public would be more understanding of a mistake like this if the time and effort was taken to correct it.

The solutions proposed, while difficult for the new scientist, adhere to the spirit of the 3R’s while also maintaining the highest standards for ethical publication. It is important that the situation is not minimized, regardless of how prestigious the journal is or how compliant a researcher may have been in the past. “Laboratory animals play a crucial role in biomedical research—indeed many advances now incorporated into human health care, would not have been possible without them. Informed and well-trained scientists have the privilege, but not the automatic right, to use animals as experimental subjects. This privilege must not be abused.”1

Scientific research is based on the truthful and accurate data that the scientist discovers and ethically the PI must follow the rules of the institution when it pertains to using live animals in their experiments. The public and the institution depend on IACUC to make sure this right is not abused.