IACUC Alternatives Search Help

If your protocol involves procedures at Pain Categories D and E, you must conduct a literature search in a minimum of two databases which demonstrates:

1. the work is not unnecessarily duplicative of previously documented work
2. the fewest number of the lowest order of animals will be used to obtain valid results
3. alternatives to EACH potentially painful/distressful procedure proposed have been sought.

Key databases for searching for animal alternatives.

The CSU Libraries provide access to many databases that can help fulfill the search requirement for animal alternatives.  To help you get started, here is a list of the most relevant library databases for some important categories of animal research.

Please Note: PubMed is a free version of Medline.  You may use either Medline or PubMed for your search, not both.  Accessing PubMed from the links below will activate the FindIt@CSU button and provide you with complete access to the CSU Libraries' online journals and ILL services.

Agricultural Animal Husbandry & Production Techniques Instruction

Primary: CAB Abstracts, Agricola, Web of Science
Secondary: Biological Abstracts (1969-2009 not updated)

Animal Science Research: Includes Feed Trials, Production Efficiency, Herd Health, Metabolism

Primary: CAB Abstracts, Agricola, Web of Science
Secondary: Biological Abstracts (1969-2009 not updated) 

Basic Biology

Primary: CAB Abstracts, Web of Science, Medline via PubMed or Medline (EBSCO), Biological Sciences
Secondary: Biological Abstracts (1969-2009 not updated)

Biomedical Sciences Basic & Applied Research for Human & Animal Health: Includes Oncology, Infectious Disease, Reproduction, Physiology, Neurology,  Orthopedics, Cardiology, Endocrinology, Opthalmology

Primary: Medline via PubMed or Medline (EBSCO), Web of Science, CAB Abstracts,
ALTBIB (Resources on Alternatives to the Use of Live Vertebrates in Biomedical Research & Testing)
Secondary: Biological Abstracts (1969-2009 not updated)

Clinical Trials—veterinary and human

 Primary: Medline via PubMed or Medline (EBSCO), Web of Science, CAB Abstracts
Secondary: Biological Abstracts (1969-2009 not updated)

  Drug Discovery

Primary: Medline via PubMed or Medline (EBSCO), Web of Science, 
ALTBIB (Resources on Alternatives to the Use of Live Vertebrates in Biomedical Research & Testing)
SciFinder (SciFinder offers searching of Chemical Abstracts by chemical, structure, reaction - includes Medline records) 

Veterinary Teaching/Laboratory Animal Personnel Teaching

Primary: Medline via PubMed or Medline (EBSCO), Web of Science, CAB Abstracts, NORINA (Norwegian Inventory of Alternatives), ERIC (education database)
Secondary: Biological Abstracts (1969-2009 not updated) 

Wildlife Management - reptiles, amphibians, and fish

Primary: Web of Science, CAB Abstracts, Aquatic Sciences & Fisheries Abstracts All Sections (ASFA), Wildlife & Ecology Studies Worldwide
 Secondary: Biological Abstracts (1969-2009 not updated)

Wildlife Management – birds and mammals

Primary: Web of Science, CAB Abstracts, Wildlife & Ecology Studies Worldwide
 Secondary: Medline via PubMed or Medline (EBSCO), Biological Abstracts (1969-2009 not updated)

  A complete list of library databases by subject can be found on the Find Electronic Resources & Databases page.