Policy on Confidentiality & Member Agreement

All University Animal Care Committee (UACC) members must respect the confidentiality of UACC matters and the privacy of the proposed work and intellectual property that they are reviewing. The UACC, the institution and the individuals participating in animal based science must work together to ensure that the UACC has all the information necessary to conduct an appropriate ethical review of the proposed projects, while ensuring that confidentiality is maintained.

The UACC Interpretation of the Term "Confidential": "Confidential" can best be equated to "restricted” as protocol information is not for general distribution and there are restrictions on the public use of the material however this information may be distributed and discussed among the members of the UACC prior to and following approval. "Confidential" should not be interpreted to mean that the protocol cannot be discussed with regulatory boards (CCAC and OMAFRA); institutional senior administration or other institutional affiliated offices as deemed appropriate by the Office of the University Veterinarian and the University Animal Care Committee.

• All materials submitted for review by the UACC are received in confidence and UACC members are responsible for protecting the confidentiality of such materials. These materials must not be shown to or discussed with individuals outside of the review process nor can the knowledge or information contained in the materials be used for purposes other than review by the UACC. UACC members may not copy, archive (or otherwise save in any electronic format), circulate, quote or otherwise use material distributed to them for review.
• Under no circumstances will individual UACC members advise researchers, their organizations or anyone else of recommendations or proceedings of UACC reviews. Any such communications shall be made only by the UACC Coordinator on behalf of the entire UACC.
• UACC members’ comments will not be disclosed to persons other than UACC members, except that extracts of such comments, without the member’s name and without the affiliation of the reviewer(s), will be sent to the corresponding principal investigators.
• Ad hoc reviewers, who are asked to peer-review an application for scientific merit, or provide expertise upon request of the UACC, are subject to this confidentiality policy.
• All active members on the UACC will complete the member agreement annually

Member Agreement

I acknowledge that the University Animal Care Committee (hereinafter called "UACC") at Queen's University at Kingston (hereinafter called "Queen’s") has in its possession, and shares with its members, in confidence, certain information (“Confidential Information”) relating to specific research projects being conducted under the auspices of Queen’s. Confidential Information includes, without limitation, computer programs, discoveries, inventions, techniques, documents, data and information concerning studies or other research design and/or contract related information involving the use of animals.

As a Member of the UACC, I may have access to confidential Information. In consideration of my role as a member, I agree that I will hold in the utmost confidence all such confidential information and will not directly or indirectly make any use of the confidential information except in the performance of my duties as a member, nor will I disclose any confidential information to any person or entity unless expressly permitted by the University Veterinarian.

Failure to comply with this Confidentiality Agreement may result in my removal as a member.

Upon the termination of my membership to the UACC for any reason, I undertake to return all confidential information which is in my possession, including any and all copies thereof, and to permanently delete & destroy all electronic copies thereof which are in my possession.

This agreement is to be effective upon the date of signing and shall remain in full force and affect until such time as my membership on the UACC comes to an end for any reason. This agreement shall be interpreted and construed in accordance with laws of the Province of Ontario, Canada.

Signature: _________________________________________