True or False: IACUC members cannot participate in the review of activities they are personally involved in.

The statement is accurate. IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee) members are required to recuse themselves from the review of any protocols in which they have a personal involvement. This principle is grounded in the need to maintain ethical integrity, transparency, and fairness in the review process. It ensures that decisions regarding animal use are made objectively and without bias, thereby protecting the welfare of the animals and upholding the standards set forth by the institution and federal regulations.

Allowing members to participate in discussions or decision-making for protocols they are personally involved in could lead to conflicts of interest that compromise the integrity of the review process. Therefore, IACUC policies typically dictate that any member with a personal stake in a protocol must step aside to maintain the thorough scrutiny of all proposed research activities. This approach ultimately supports the ethical principles surrounding the use of animals in research and enhances public trust in the research process.