Classify animals into USDA pain/distress categories B, C, D, and E. Generate a per-category summary table for Form 7023 annual reporting.
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When to use
Do not use for
If you are unsure whether a procedure is Category C or D, classify it as D. Down-classifying is harder to defend during an audit than up-classifying. The IACUC and institutional veterinarian can always reclassify downward if warranted.
"Analgesics would interfere with the study" is not sufficient. Specify which drug, what mechanism, and what specific endpoint it would confound. Example: "Buprenorphine is a mu-opioid agonist that would alter nociceptive thresholds, which is the primary endpoint of this study."
This is a common source of confusion. Lab mice (Mus musculus) and rats (Rattus norvegicus) bred for research purposes are specifically excluded from USDA coverage by the Animal Welfare Act. Wild-caught rodents and purpose-bred rats/mice for non-research purposes may still be covered.
Classifies each procedure entry into USDA categories B, C, D, or E based on user-selected pain level, anesthesia/analgesia use, and scientific justification. Sums animals per category for Form 7023 reporting. Validates that Category E entries include written justification and flags non-USDA species (rats, mice, birds bred for research). Reference: USDA APHIS Animal Care Policy Manual. All computation is client-side.
Last validated 2026-04-07. Calculations are designed for planning and documentation support; verify procurement decisions against manufacturer specifications or institutional SOPs.
ConductScience USDA Pain Category Planner (v1.11.0). ConductScience, Inc. 2026. Available at: https://conductscience.com/tools/usda-pain-category-planner
USDA APHIS. Animal Care Policy Manual. Washington, DC: USDA; 2023.
USDA APHIS. Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations. 9 CFR Parts 1-4. Washington, DC: US Government Publishing Office; 2023.
Animals being bred, conditioned, or held for future use. Example: breeding colonies, sentinel animals, animals awaiting assignment to a study.
Procedures involving no pain, or momentary/slight pain. Examples: routine blood draws, injections, gavage, euthanasia by approved methods, behavioral observation without intervention, non-invasive imaging under brief anesthesia.
Procedures that cause more than momentary pain or distress, where appropriate anesthesia, analgesia, or tranquilizers are used. Examples: survival surgery with post-operative analgesia, tumor implantation with pain management, chronic catheter placement.
Procedures causing pain or distress where pain-relieving drugs are withheld because they would compromise the study. This is the most scrutinized category. Examples: pain behavior studies (analgesics would eliminate the endpoint), certain addiction models, lethal dose studies where analgesics alter metabolism. Every Category E entry requires a written justification reviewed by the IACUC.
ConductColony automatically classifies procedures from your colony activity log into USDA categories, generates Form 7023 summaries, and tracks category changes over the protocol lifetime.
Open app EquipmentGenerate the 3Rs justification that complements your USDA category assignments.
Browse EquipmentTrack when your protocol needs renewal — including the Form 7023 reporting deadline.
Browse EquipmentJustify your animal numbers with a power analysis for the Reduction section.
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