Med school still uses pigs for surgery practice
"The use of animals in classrooms violates the spirit and letter of the Federal Animal Welfare Act," Moore wrote. "In light of the availability of superior, non-animal alternative technologies in medical school education, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine arguably violates the principles set forth in the Animal Welfare Act by using pigs in its classrooms."
In her letter, Moore also pointed out that Harvard, Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania and Duke "have determined that students earn at least equal, if not better, training without the use of live animals in the classroom."
George Goodno, the director of communications for the National Association for Biomedical Research in Washington, D.C., explained in greater detail what the Animal Welfare Act requires of Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs).
"The Animal Welfare Act sets high standards of care for lab animals with regard to their housing, feeding, cleanliness, ventilation and medical needs. Most importantly, research institutions are required - by law - to establish an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee to oversee all work with animals," he said.
"IACUCs are carefully structured to include at least one non-affiliated layperson to represent the general community interest."
The Animal Care and Use Committee at Hopkins is an organization that "is designed to assure that it is in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act regulations and Public Health Service Policy," according to its Web site.
"We have an enrichment supervisor for all of the species that we have here," said Kinta Diven, senior training and compliance specialist for the Committee.
"We have a wide range of things that people do. There are 24-hour vets on call, and there are very specific rules and regulations."
Diven also explained that the animals, whether for medical instruction or research purposes, are anesthetized and unconscious during the procedures, and do not feel pain.
In her letter, Moore also pointed out that Harvard, Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania and Duke "have determined that students earn at least equal, if not better, training without the use of live animals in the classroom."
George Goodno, the director of communications for the National Association for Biomedical Research in Washington, D.C., explained in greater detail what the Animal Welfare Act requires of Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs).
"The Animal Welfare Act sets high standards of care for lab animals with regard to their housing, feeding, cleanliness, ventilation and medical needs. Most importantly, research institutions are required - by law - to establish an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee to oversee all work with animals," he said.
"IACUCs are carefully structured to include at least one non-affiliated layperson to represent the general community interest."
The Animal Care and Use Committee at Hopkins is an organization that "is designed to assure that it is in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act regulations and Public Health Service Policy," according to its Web site.
"We have an enrichment supervisor for all of the species that we have here," said Kinta Diven, senior training and compliance specialist for the Committee.
"We have a wide range of things that people do. There are 24-hour vets on call, and there are very specific rules and regulations."
Diven also explained that the animals, whether for medical instruction or research purposes, are anesthetized and unconscious during the procedures, and do not feel pain.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Losing Weight
posted 2/17/08 @ 10:18 PM EST
If the human cadavers work just as well as live animals, then they can use the cadavers. If they are not violating the law, then using them for medical research is not much worse than killing them to eat. (Continued…)
Losing Weight
posted 2/17/08 @ 10:26 PM EST
If the human cadavers work just as well as live animals, then they can use the cadavers. If they are not violating the law, then using them for medical research is not much worse than killing them to eat. (Continued…)
Post a Comment