Which US agency requires placing animals used in research into pain/distress categories?

The correct answer pertains to the USDA, which oversees regulations that mandate the categorization of animals used in research based on their pain and distress levels. The Animal Welfare Act (AWA), enforced by the USDA, requires researchers to evaluate and classify animals according to the severity of pain or distress they may endure during experiments. This classification is crucial for ensuring that proper care, pain management, and ethical considerations are adhered to in the treatment of research animals.

The USDA's role emphasizes the welfare of animals and ensures compliance with the guidelines that researchers must follow to minimize pain and distress. Categorization serves as a mechanism for ethical review, allowing Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs) to assess and approve research protocols.

Other agencies, while important in animal research, have different focuses. For example, the NIH provides funding and guidelines but does not specifically enforce categories on pain/distress. OLAW, which oversees compliance with the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, also emphasizes welfare but does not impose the same regulatory requirements regarding pain/distress classifications as the USDA. The AVMA offers guidelines on animal care and use but similarly does not require categorization of pain and distress as part of a regulatory framework.