The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Roundtable on Science and Welfare of Animals Involved in Research staff will identify and convene experts to participate in a series of three one-day virtual Meetings of Experts. The attendees would be selected based on relevant subject matter expertise.
This meeting series will examine the operational and ethical challenges associated with differing and overlapping federal and state regulations. It will also identify practical strategies for tracking, interpreting, and responding to these regulations and related policies in ways that support continued research excellence and regulatory compliance.
Each meeting may include case studies, tabletop exercises, and structured discussions designed to be iterative and cumulative, enabling discussion points and insights from one meeting to inform and strengthen subsequent meetings. The series will focus on research that involves animals, which is governed by a complex framework of federal and state laws and regulations, and institutional policies designed to ensure both scientific integrity and animal welfare.
Topics may include:

• An overview of relevant federal and state laws and regulations governing the care and use of animals in research.
• Case studies from institutions navigating state-specific legislation and the intersection with federal requirements.
• Tools and methodologies for monitoring and analyzing changes and other developments in laws and regulations across jurisdictions, including the use of legislative tracking systems and institution-based approaches.
• The costs—both direct and opportunity—of compliance with varying legal and regulatory requirements and their implications for scientific research and public trust.
• Mitigation strategies and collaborative approaches to reduce operational burdens while maintaining high standards of animal welfare.
• The role of stakeholder engagement and resource-sharing in promoting transparency and improving navigation of the regulatory landscape.