A complaint filed Wednesday with the U.S. Agricultural Department against UPMC says the hospital system's continued use of live pigs in its trauma training program violates the federal Animal Welfare Act because there are non-animal alternatives available.
According to the complaint filed by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, using live animals in trauma training makes UPMC one of only 11 medical facilities left in North America -- out of 225 that offer the training -- that still does so, and the only one of 12 such hospitals in Pennsylvania.
"We believe that this animal use is a violation of the Animal Welfare Act because there are non-animal training methods available that are educationally equivalent or superior," the complaint sent to the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Services said, in part.
UPMC holds six to eight of the trauma training courses a year at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, and Dr. Pippin said a typical program involves about 16 physicians working on one pig for every four doctors. The pigs are euthanized after the training is completed.
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http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10280/1093196-114.stm#ixzz11hprkNUL
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