Research Enterprise Newsletter - April 2008: Animal Care & Use News
New Policy on Laundering of Personal Protective Clothing
During the recent AAALAC site visit, questioning by the site visitors revealed that some research personnel are taking their laboratory coats and scrubs home to wash. This practice represents an unacceptable risk to human health and violates OSHA regulations. This was cited as a "mandatory concern" that must be corrected for VU to continue full AAALAC accreditation. In response to this citation, the IACUC has developed and approved a new Policy on Laundering of Personal Protective Clothing (PDF). All research staff are asked to familiarize themselves with this policy, and, if not already doing so, make arrangements to launder lab coats and scrubs through an appropriate commercial service. The service must have experience handling clothing/linens possibly exposed to animal and human pathogens. Two such vendors already utilized at Vanderbilt are listed below. Disposable gowns and lab coats are available from most laboratory vendors. These provide a useful alternative to reusable protective clothing, provided that appropriate disposal procedures are followed.
- Shared Hospital Services Corporation
James Tankersley, Manager, Linen Services
Email: james.tankersley@vanderbilt.edu; Phone: 615.343.9431
Drop Off: The Vanderbilt Clinic (TVC), Room B-502; Pick-up: B-813 TVC - Aramark Uniform Service
Brian Fletcher, District Manager
Email: Brian.Fletcher@uniform.aramark.com; Phone: 615.496.3788
Availability of Pharmaceutical Grade Pentobarbital
As discussed in the March 26 IACUC full committee meeting, a need exists for alternatives to commonly available liquid sodium pentobarbital, whose additives could affect the outcome of animal studies. Current regulations require the use of pharmaceutical grade drugs in research, rather than chemical grade drugs.
In response to this need, the Office of Animal Welfare Assurance has secured the following information concerning the purchase and use of pharmaceutical grade pentobarbital in powder form. Principal investigators, with DEA licenses, can purchase 25 grams of powder form of pentobarbital from the Vanderbilt University Department of Pharmacy by providing the following:
- Contact the VUH Central Pharmacy Narcotic Room at 2-0710 between the hours of 7am and 3pm to verify the availability of product in the quantity required.
- Once the product has been ordered and received by the Central Pharmacy Narcotic Room, bring a completed DEA Form 222 along with a Vanderbilt 1180 Request for Supplies form.
- For the Vanderbilt 1180 Request for Supplies form, fill in the "Supply Source" as "Vanderbilt University Hospital Pharmacy" and complete the remainder of the form with your department's information. The physician who signs the DEA Form 222 must also sign the Vanderbilt 1180 Request for Supplies form.
- For the DEA Form 222, complete the following exactly as specified:
- In the "Name of Supplier" blank, write "Vanderbilt University Hospital Pharmacy"
- In the "Street Address" blank, write "1211 Medical Center Drive"
- In the "City and State" blank, write "Nashville, TN"
- In the "Signature of Purchaser of Attorney or Agent" blank, the investigator who has the DEA registration must sign (the Central Pharmacy Narcotic Room must have a copy of their DEA 223 form on file)
- Leave the remainder of the form blank and the pharmacy will assist you with these details.
