The IAEC (Institutional Animal Ethics Committee) at SDMCMSH, Dharwad was constituted and has been functional since 2011 under the Department of Pharmacology. It is a committee approved by a statutory body under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Committee for Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA) now called Committee for Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CCSEA) in 2023.

Experimentation on animals in the course of medical research and education is covered by provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and Breeding of Experiments on Animals (Control & Supervision) Rules of 1998, 2001, and 2006 framed under the Act. Under these provisions, the SDMCMSH, Dharwad is registered with CPCSEA and has formed IAEC. The Animal House Facility in the college building has been inspected and also got many projects for research cleared by CPCSEA before commencing the research on animals. Our animal house is registered as a facility for small animal housing bearing the registration number- 849/PO/Re/S/04/CPCSEA.

The committee is renewed every five years after approval by the CCSEA and the committee members meet at least twice a year.

IAEC approval for all projects involving the use of laboratory vertebrate animals is a statutory requirement.

All proposals submitted to the IAEC for review have to be at least 15 days before the commencement of the meeting. Form B as available from the CCSEA website and with the member secretary of IAEC has to be submitted to the Department of Pharmacology for presentation and approval during the meeting.

Please note that IBSC (Biosafety) approval is required for most animal-based research projects, for the use of any genetically modified organism, and the use of related bio- hazardous drugs/reagents or procedures.