Live And Let Live: Local School Bans Use of Live Animals In Medial Curriculum

I can remember as far back as high school, using animal cadavers in biology class, and it was considered a common practice. And, going off to med school often meant working with live animals as well. Well, that recently came to an end.

According to officials, Stony Brook med students won’t be allowed to participate in hands-on surgical training via the use of live pigs. This after several objections claiming the practice was un-necessary and unethical

In fact, Stony Brook removed the program from its course of study shortly after April this year, all as a result of an earlier investigation by the U.S Department of Agriculture spurred by a complaint by the physician committee naming Winthrop as “noncompliant” with the Animal Welfare Act in its use of live animals.

And, up until the recent discontinuation of such practices, Stony Brook remained one of two state medical schools and one of 13 such nationwide academies to still offer such “hands-on” courses.