C19 - "One Health” and Veterinary Research With Human Health Goals

Research spanning from animals to humans and back can face unique ethical and logistical issues. Projects investigating aging, pain management, diabetes, and cancer in pets can have the dual purpose of improving treatments for animals and, down the road, improving treatments for humans. Sometimes, these studies involve both humans and animals, and fall under the purview of both IACUCs and IRBs. How do these committees work together with researchers in these circumstances? In other cases, studies in veterinary research with eventual potential for human health impact involve humans as animal “owners” or guardians, but not as research subjects. In these cases, too, oversight that is designed around laboratory animal use may seem inappropriate when it comes to research involving companion animals. How do researchers and oversight committees manage risk mitigation and balancing benefits, informed consent, and the potential for therapeutic misconception? This session will review some examples of “one health” and veterinary research with human health goals in an attempt to highlight where problems may occur in this type of research, and how some researchers and review committees have successfully managed these problems.