Animal Care and Use Review Office (ACURO)

Animal Care and Use Review Office (ACURO) is the Defense Health Agency (DHA) Component Animal Oversight Office under DHA, Research and Development (R&D), Office of Research and Regulatory Compliance (ORRC), which provides oversight of the implementation of DHA, USAMRDC, and Department of War (DoW) policies regarding the use of animals in Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation (RDT&E), or Training. While ACURO is located organizationally at the United States Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC) on Fort Detrick, Maryland, ACURO's responsibility for laboratory animal welfare extends beyond Fort Detrick to a large number of recipients of DHA managed contracts and grants involving animals conducted or supported by DoW.

Specific ACURO functions include:

• Principal advisor to DHA on matters related to animal care and use in research development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&E) and training
• Prepare responses to public, congressional, and other inquiries concerning animal use in the DoW and concerning animal use in DHA and, by Agreement, for those DoW organizations supported by Agreement.
• Review all extramural animal use proposals supported by DHA, USAMRDC, and other DoW organizations (by agreement) for compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines
• Review all protocols conducted at subordinate DHA laboratories and other laboratories by agreement, involving use of dogs, cats, non-human primates, marine mammals, and human medical training for compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines
• Perform site visits/compliance inspections at DoW and extramural research sites to ensure compliance with applicable animal use regulations and standards
• Directs the Army's Laboratory Animal Medicine (LAM) Residency Program. A training program recognized by the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM).

PI Resources:

• ACURO Appendix
• ACURO Policy on Work in Foreign Countries Enclosure 1 (International Protocol Format)
• ACURO Policy on Work in Foreign Countries Enclosure 2 (International Institutional Certifications)
• ACURO Policy on Work in Foreign Countries Enclosure 3 (International Protocol Change Form)

ACURO Policies:

• ACURO Reporting Policy
• ACURO Extramural Site Visit Policy
• ACURO Protocol Change Policy
• ACURO Intramural Inspection Policy
• ACURO Submission Policy
• ACURO Policy on Work in Foreign Countries
  • ACURO Policy on Work in Foreign Countries Enclosure 1 (International Protocol Format)
  • ACURO Policy on Work in Foreign Countries Enclosure 2 (International Institutional Certifications)
  • ACURO Policy on Work in Foreign Countries Enclosure 3 (International Protocol Change Form)

Questions regarding ACURO should be directed to ACURO at Phone: 301-619-6694, Email:Usarmy.detrick.medcom-usamrmc.other.acuro@health.mil