How Do I Perform Searches for My IACUC Protocol?

A good place to begin learning about a search for alternatives is the Literature Searching and Database page of the Animal Welfare Information Center.

You can also consult the Selected Databases page of this guide. Remember to use two different databases for your searches. You can use one resource that searches the MedLine database but your second resource must search a different body of information.

When developing a search, it should include:

1. A combination of words/phrases (keywords) for the main concept you are trying to express

2. 3Rs keywords (e.g., animal welfare, animal use alternatives, 3Rs alternatives, etc.) relevant to your research. Examples of these are here.

3. Synonyms for your keywords

4. The search syntax/logic that brings them together (e.g., Boolean Operators AND\OR and parentheses).

Example:

Main concept keywords and synonyms for your keywords:

(ferret*OR Mustela putorius) AND

(challenge OR infect OR administ* OR inoculat*OR expos*) AND

(H5N1 OR avian influenza OR avian flu OR bird flu) AND

3R's keywords: 

(less invasive OR noninvasive OR minimally invasive OR stress-free OR welfare OR well-being OR refinement OR 3Rs OR three rs OR non-aversive OR painless OR less aversive OR low stress OR humane)

Final search string: 

(ferret* OR Mustela putorius) AND (challenge OR infect OR administ* OR inoculat* OR expos*) AND (H5N1 OR avian influenza OR avian flu OR bird flu) AND (less invasive OR noninvasive OR minimally invasive OR stress-free OR welfare OR well-being OR refinement OR 3Rs OR three rs OR non-aversive OR painless OR less aversive OR low stress OR humane)

Note: In some databases you can use a Wildcard such as an asterisk* to denote multiple endings to a word. Check with each individual database what is used. PubMed and Web of Science both use an asterisk.

Note: Combine synonyms in parentheses using the Boolean operator OR. Connect the concepts with the Boolean operator AND.

The narrative describing the search for alternatives should include the following:

• the names of the databases searched (use at least two databases)
• the date the search was performed
• the time period covered by the search
• the search strategy (including scientifically relevant terminology) - keep track of your search strings

Email herref@pennstatehealth.psu.edu with questions about capturing search strings.

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An example of completed search box in CATS-IACUC (alternatives). Your search terms may be different.

1. *Procedure causing pain or distress:

Jugular Catheter

2. *Date of Search:

4/28/2017

3. Database(s) Searched:

PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science

4. Keywords used:

jugular catheter rats pain distress

5. Summarize your search for an alternative procedure:

PubMed: jugular catheter AND ("rats"[MeSH Terms] OR rats) AND ("pain"[MeSH Terms] OR pain OR stress OR distress). 133 results. Articles discussed xyz methods but these particular procedures do not work for our research because...

Web of Science: TOPIC: jugular catheter AND rat AND (pain OR stress OR distress). 167 results. Articles discussed xyz methods and we will adjust our procedures to xyz method based on the review of the articles.

6. Time period covered by search:

Start: 1/1/1960

End: 4/28/2017

A search for alternatives to death as an endpoint can be challenging to build. Here is a sample of such a search in PubMed Medline: 

((leukaemia OR "leukemia"[MeSH Terms] OR leukemia)) AND ((((((humane) AND ((endpoint) OR endpoints))) OR ((death) AND ((endpoint) OR endpoints)))) AND (("animal experimentation"[MeSH Terms] OR (animal AND experimentation) OR animal experimentation OR (animal AND research) OR animal research)))

You can use this same search for your protocol by replacing leukemia with the topic of your research. For further assistance, contact Marie Castaneda at the Harrell Health Sciences Library.

The term "alternatives" is not a catch-all as many subject specialties do not use the term, or use it in ways not relevant to searching for "alternatives" to painful/distressful procedures.

Here are some suggested terms to use when searching for alternatives:

General

animal testing alternative • assay • distress • euthanasia • learn • learning • method • model • pain • replace • replacement • surrogate • system • teach • teaching • technique

Replacement

aided/assisted • artificial • cadaver • computers • image • imaging • instruction • interactive • mathematical model(ing) • model(ing) • prediction • simulation • software • teaching • theoretical model(ing) • virtual

Reduction

statistics • statistical analysis • experimental design • model • reduce • reduction

Refinement

distress • (non-)invasive • pain • postoperative • postsurgery • stress• anaesthesia • anesthesia • anesthetic • anaesthetic • analgesia • analgesic • anxiolytic • sedative• animal cage • animal caging • animal euthanasia • animal housing • animal husbandry • animal welfare