All institutions that conduct research or teaching with animals under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and Title 9 of the Federal Code of Regulations or funded by the Public Health Service must have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). This committee ensures compliance with animal research laws and includes veterinarians, scientists, nonscientists, animal care staff, and community members not linked to OHSU. The IACUC reviews animal use protocols and can withhold approval or require modifications for approval of research involving live vertebrate animals. It conducts inspections of animal facilities and evaluates the animal care program every six months. The OHSU West Campus IACUC is managed by the OHSU Research Integrity Office, which advises researchers on regulatory compliance. The IACUC meets monthly to review animal protocols and works closely with the Central and Waterfront Campus IACUC. No live animal research can happen without IACUC approval. The IACUC reviews proposed activities based on five main elements: 

1. The scientist must detail specific procedures planned with the animals, such as behavioral tests, surgeries, or evaluating a new vaccine.
2. There must be scientific justification for any procedures that cause pain or distress. The scientist must explain all steps to minimize such discomfort.
3. The scientist must search for alternatives to the use of animals and justify why the research must use monkeys instead of a less sentient animal. If alternatives do exist, such as studying cells, the researcher must explain why animals are needed to answer the scientific question. They must also justify the number of animals needed for valid results.
4. The scientist must ensure that the proposed research does not duplicate existing studies and must describe the sources that confirm no alternatives are available for painful procedures.
5. The scientist must list all personnel involved and show that staff performing procedures are properly trained. 

The Animal Utilization Committee meets monthly to review funding proposals, discuss long- and short-term plans for supporting projects involving nonhuman primates, and allocates limited animal resources to active research projects. The AUC serves as an educational forum for policy decisions regarding NHPs in research. The committee includes scientists from various fields, animal care staff, and administrative personnel.

The OHSU Institutional Biosafety Committee evaluates all research involving recombinant DNA (rDNA), synthetic nucleic acids, infectious agents, and toxins. This ensures compliance with NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules. The IBC regularly reviews and approves all such research projects at OHSU West Campus. 

The Campus Safety Committee educates and trains staff to prevent injuries and illness from workplace hazards. It reviews incidents, recommends corrective measures, and ensures adherence to health and safety guidelines. The committee identifies potential risks, promotes accident prevention, and defines safety training needs. 

All division and department heads meet to discuss issues regarding scientific programs, facilities, animal resources, information technology, and environmental health and safety on the West Campus. 

The Research Integrity Office ensures compliance with laws and regulations related to animal research across all OHSU campuses. It collaborates with the IACUC, IBC, attending veterinarians, biosafety officers, and occupational health nurses. The office also works with the Division of Comparative Medicine to train animal technicians and research staff. 

Animal research is closely monitored by several federal agencies. 

1. The Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the USDA sets standards and enforces the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), which governs animal use in research. APHIS conducts at least one unannounced compliance inspection annually for each registered research facility.
2. The Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare administers the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. This policy requires institutions receiving PHS funding to maintain an Animal Welfare Assurance document that details their animal care programs. It applies to research funded by NIH, FDA, CDC, NASA, and others. Institutions must follow the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and have a properly constituted IACUC. 

AAALAC International promotes humane treatment of research animals through voluntary accreditation. Institutions apply for accreditation, which is reviewed every three years. Site visits assess animal care programs and housing. Institutions meeting high standards receive accreditation, which they can display. The Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) has held accreditation since 1974. 

Oregon House Bill 2904 (HB2904) requires that ONPRC publish information on its website relating to how many nonhuman primates were born, purchased, and sold or were injured or died in a manner that resulted in an animal welfare citation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. HB2904 also requires ONPRC to a.) post documentation of its accreditation status; b.) post links to publicly accessible websites that include descriptions of research using nonhuman primates; and c.) provide the total amount of money awarded to the Center in the previous fiscal year.  This information is updated annually. Before the passage of HB2904, this information was publicly available online or through public records requests. To comply with HB2904, ONPRC reorganized its online content so that access to the data is centrally located on the Center’s website. The information can be found through the links below:

• The number of nonhuman primates, listed by species, that, in the previous year:
  • Were used in research at the university. (ONPRC Animal Numbers)
  • Were used in breeding at the university. (ONPRC Animal Numbers)
  • Were born at the university. (ONPRC Animal Numbers)
  • Were purchased or sold by the university. (ONPRC Animal Numbers)
  • Were injured, or died, in a manner that resulted in an animal welfare citation by the United States Department of Agriculture. (USDA Inspection Reports)
• Links to publicly accessible websites that include descriptions of research using nonhuman primates. (Homepage and Biomedical Research & Education Advocacy)
• The total amount of funding awarded to the university’s Oregon National Primate Research Center during the previous fiscal year. (FY22 = $56.1M)
• Any inspection reports of the United States Department of Agriculture related to animal welfare at the university that include information about nonhuman primate welfare during the previous year. (USDA Inspection Reports)
• Documentation of the accreditation of the university’s Oregon National Primate Research Center. (AAALAC, International accreditation)

The National Scientific Advisory Board comprises investigators who are internationally renowned scientific experts in their fields. They provide advice and guidance to principal investigators and the center director on planning and strategic initiatives. The board meets yearly to advise the OHSU President, OHSU CSO, and Director of ONPRC concerning plans for scientific strategic initiatives. Members are appointed annually by the director and may serve up to five consecutive terms.