Animal Ethics Secretariat
Research Services Office
Telephone: 02 4221 3350
Email: [email protected]
ANIMAL ETHICS COMMITTEE
UNEXPECTED ADVERSE EVENT REPORT FORM
The NHMRC Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes (2013 8th ed.) states
investigators must provide ‘prompt notification of any unexpected adverse events’ that may impact on the
wellbeing of an animal in their care (Clause 2.4.34 (ii)). When an animal dies unexpectedly, or is euthanased
due to unforeseen complications, an autopsy should be performed by a person with appropriate qualifications
and/or experience and the AEC should be notified promptly.
All unexpected adverse events, including unexpected deaths, must be reported to the Animal Welfare Officer
immediately and noted on the monitoring record. An email must also be sent to the AEC Executive Officer
advising of an unexpected death within 48 hours and the researcher must provide a formal report to the AEC
within 10 working days.
An unexpected adverse event is an outcome that is not described in the AEC approved protocol that has a
negative effect on animal welfare and may result in a level of pain or distress that was not predicted during the
planning of the project. This may include an adverse event that was not expected following a procedure or
treatment (e.g. diarrhoea, vomiting, respiratory difficulty, collapse, abdominal swelling, rapid weight loss )
and/or the death of an animal or group of animals t hat was not expected (e.g. during surgical procedures, during
anaesthesia, following a procedure or treatment, during day-to-day husbandry).
Protocol No:
Principal Investigator:
Project Title:
Species:
Date of incident:
1.
Date of report:
Please summarize the circumstances surrounding the event, giving details of the symptoms
exhibited by the animal and describing what action was taken.
/pto
2.
If an unexpected death has occurred, has an autopsy been performed? If no, state why
If an unexpected death has occurred, has an autopsy been performed? If no, state why
not. If yes, state by whom and provide a copy of the autopsy report.
3.
Are other animals at risk? If so what measures have been taken to minimise risk or
prevent this reoccurrence? Will the protocol be amended in any way?
4.
If appropriate, has the supplier been contacted? (State contact details of supplier.)
5.
Have there been any previous unexpected adverse events on this protocol? If so please
give date, number and cause of the adverse event.
Signature of Researcher: ……………………………………
……………………………………
Date: