PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
Sign PCRM's Petition to Make Military Medicine More Effective and Humane
  1. Signatures
    292 out of 500
  2. Created By
    Beth Smith
    Midwest, MI
About this Petition Pledge Petition Updates

"Two combat medics hold the rear leg of an unconscious goat . . . [the instructor] places a tree trimmer over the joint in the leg, closes it, applies pressure, and a ‘crack’ echoes inside the dimly lit tent . . . As described in this gruesome eyewitness account, the U.S. military is using live animals to teach medical procedures—despite the existence of nonanimal teaching methods.

Two military training videos recently obtained by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine through the Freedom of Information Act reveal the unlawful use of live monkeys and goats in chemical casualty courses and combat trauma training.

The military's trauma training courses subject more than 8,500 goats and pigs a year to severe injuries, including stab wounds, gunshot wounds, burns, and amputations at Fort Sam Houston, Fort Bragg, and other facilities. In chemical casualty care training courses at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, vervet monkeys are given a toxic dose of the drug physostigmine, which can induce seizures, breathing difficulty, and death.

Using animals in military medical courses is not only cruel and archaic—it constitutes a violation of the Department of Defense’s own joint regulation on animal welfare, which states that alternatives must be considered and used if available. The regulation also explicitly prohibits inflicting wounds on nonhuman primates.

Alternatives could completely replace the use of animals in these courses. Readily available human-centered training methods—including rotations in civilian trauma centers and the use of medical simulators—allow for superior education and preparation of military personnel to treat traumatic injuries sustained by America’s fighting men and women.

Both as a matter of soldier readiness and humane medical practice, the U.S. military must modernize its medical teaching methods and move away from using animals."

"Congressman Hank Johnson of Georgia is working to end the use of animals in military medical training, but he needs your help. Urge your congressperson to cosign Rep. Johnson’s letter to the Army that asks for an end to the cruel and ineffective use of monkeys, goats, and pigs to train military personnel. Contact your representative now.

Currently, the United States military uses live animals in medical training programs. In one course, vervet monkeys are given a toxic dose of a drug that causes seizures and difficulty breathing and can result in death. In another course, an instructor cuts a live goat with a scalpel to create traumatic wounds, causing severe bleeding. These practices continue despite the existence of superior nonanimal training methods.

Direct contact from constituents like you can persuade your congressperson to cosign Rep. Johnson’s important letter, helping to make military medical training more effective and humane.

Please call or e-mail your representative today, and then forward this message to your friends. Thank you for your help."

https://secure2.convio.net/pcrm/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=251&autologin=true&JServSessionIdr011=5pp9nmvkh2.app8b

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Sign PCRM's Petition to Make Military Medicine More Effective and Humane

I pledge to...

"Two combat medics hold the rear leg of an unconscious goat . . . [the instructor] places a tree trimmer over the joint in the leg, closes it, applies pressure, and a &lsquo;crack&rsquo; echoes inside the dimly lit tent . . . As described in this gruesome eyewitness account, the U.S. military is using live animals to teach medical procedures&mdash;despite the existence of nonanimal teaching methods.<br /><br /> Two military training videos recently obtained by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine through the Freedom of Information Act reveal the unlawful use of live monkeys and goats in chemical casualty courses and combat trauma training.<br /><br /> The military's trauma training courses subject more than 8,500 goats and pigs a year to severe injuries, including stab wounds, gunshot wounds, burns, and amputations at Fort Sam Houston, Fort Bragg, and other facilities. In chemical casualty care training courses at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, vervet monkeys are given a toxic dose of the drug physostigmine, which can induce seizures, breathing difficulty, and death.<br /><br /> Using animals in military medical courses is not only cruel and archaic&mdash;it constitutes a violation of the Department of Defense&rsquo;s own joint regulation on animal welfare, which states that alternatives must be considered and used if available. The regulation also explicitly prohibits inflicting wounds on nonhuman primates.<br /><br /> Alternatives could completely replace the use of animals in these courses. Readily available human-centered training methods&mdash;including rotations in civilian trauma centers and the use of medical simulators&mdash;allow for superior education and preparation of military personnel to treat traumatic injuries sustained by America&rsquo;s fighting men and women.<br /><br /> Both as a matter of soldier readiness and humane medical practice, the U.S. military must modernize its medical teaching methods and move away from using animals."<br /><br />"<b>Congressman Hank Johnson of Georgia is working to end the use of animals in military medical training, but he needs your help.&nbsp;<a href="http://support.pcrm.org/site/R?i=G72--23fjBn8I3Q2fREB-A..">Urge your congressperson to cosign Rep. Johnson&rsquo;s letter to the Army</a> that asks for an end to the cruel and ineffective use of monkeys, goats, and pigs to train military personnel. <a href="http://support.pcrm.org/site/R?i=YHIFcaZVBRh3RzpaSbFo_A..">Contact your representative now.</a><br /><br /> Currently, the United States military uses live animals in medical training programs. In one course, vervet monkeys are given a toxic dose of a drug that causes seizures and difficulty breathing and can result in death. In another course, an instructor cuts a live goat with a scalpel to create traumatic wounds, causing severe bleeding. These practices continue despite the existence of superior nonanimal training methods.<br /><br /><a href="http://support.pcrm.org/site/R?i=TXkxbfAxeRnKLCC9Kcvv7A..">Direct contact from constituents like you can persuade your congressperson</a> to cosign Rep. Johnson&rsquo;s important letter, helping to make military medical training more effective and humane.<br /><br /> Please&nbsp;<a href="http://support.pcrm.org/site/R?i=gyPv_1hv0xWjRsDR2hkqgg..">call</a> or <a href="http://support.pcrm.org/site/R?i=JEFLmaxQW8OnRzn9QCY-DQ..">e-mail</a> your representative today, and then <a href="http://support.pcrm.org/site/R?i=FZ18eXGP3kUmW5eC2K__ZQ..">forward this message</a> to your friends. Thank you for your help."</b> <br /><br /><a href="https://secure2.convio.net/pcrm/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&amp;page=UserAction&amp;id=251&amp;autologin=true&amp;JServSessionIdr011=5pp9nmvkh2.app8b">https://secure2.convio.net/pcrm/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&amp;page=UserAction&amp;id=251&amp;autologin=true&amp;JServSessionIdr011=5pp9nmvkh2.app8b</a><br />

[Your name]

Press Inquiries