The IQ Consortium strives to develop safer, more effective medicines while promoting animal welfare and the integration of 3Rs principles in every study. Non-animal models can be employed alone or as a complement to the animal model(s) to best answer a scientific question.

Things to consider before your in vivo study

• Available Knowledge and Literature Search
  • Clear understanding of the information needed, and the value added through conducting the study
    • What is the overall value of the study?
    • Will this study affect the project decisions? Is it nice to have or a must have? 
    • Is the in vivo model a translatable model?
  • Searching correctly and effectively: Literature Searching: How to Find Animal Use Alternatives | National Agricultural Library (usda.gov)
  • Utilize artificial intelligence [AI] to aid in the literature search
  • General search for results, similar studies conducted, lessons learned
• Considering the Need to Use Live Animals
  • Can non-animal models be employed alone or as a complement to the animal model(s) to best answer a scientific question?
  • Conduct a systematic review of available alternative models (e.g., use of AI)
• Regulatory and Internal Compliance
  • Laboratory animal regulations from different countries (See AAALAC regulations and resources)
  • Compliance with company SOPs and best practices
  • ICH guidelines (ICH: The International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use)
• Study Design
  • Consult a statistician to provide the most powerful design that maximizes the data from the animals to be used and is appropriately powered to meet study objectives.
  • Consider the reproducibility of the study (See “Designing, conducting, and reporting reproducible animal experiments” by Wilson et al, 2023)
  • NC3Rs experimental design assistant
  • Norecopa has a comprehensive and detailed guideline for planning animal research and testing: The PREPARE Guidelines
• Experimental Procedures
  • Research Animal Training resources on typical procedures: Procedures with Care Archives
• Minimizing Harm, Including Humane Endpoints
  • UK RSPCA Roadmap tool to minimize harm, step by step approach throughout the animal’s life: The Roadmap to reducing severe suffering
  • Dutch site for Humane endpoints in laboratory animal experimentation
  • Model-specific humane endpoints
• Housing and Husbandry
  • Provide species specific enrichments that maximize animal welfare: Choosing appropriate enrichment | NC3Rs, Species specific refinement | 3RsC
  • National Research Council (NRC), Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals: “The Guide”
• Creating a Culture of Care
  • Approach and attitude
  • NC3Rs: Culture of care: Creating the right environment for animal care
  • Norecopa: Culture of Care, and why it is important
• Sharing learnings and results
  • ARRIVE Guideline: ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) guidelines
  • Another excellent resource that covers many of the topics above is available via The 3Rs Collaborative (3RsC)
• Useful 3Rs Literature
  • List relevant IQ Publications
  • Shortcut to IQ publications (sort by IQ 3Rs TPS LG)
  • If you have recommended resources that should be added to this list, please send the citation to the IQ 3Rs Secretariat with the subject “3Rs Literature”

Note: This is a living document.