When I went to medical school in the 1980s, it was standard practice to have students cut apart live dogs and other animals to learn medical skills and concepts. Since then, animal labs have been abandoned in medical schools and advanced surgical courses in favor of realistic human simulators that mimic human bleeding and breathing and are more humane, cost-efficient and effective.

So, I was shocked to learn that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is still wasting Americans’ tax dollars to conduct outdated and inferior medical training drills that maim and kill live animals.

According to recent federal contracts uncovered by White Coat Waste Project, the U.S. Marshal’s Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have recently conducted so-called “live tissue training” courses in which live pigs, goats, sheep and sometimes even dogs are intentionally stabbed, shot, dismembered, and burned so personnel can crudely practice medical procedures. Many of the animals die from these traumatic injuries during the courses, and even those who survive are killed at the end.

The federal government’s own studies show that human simulators are more effective and economical than these outdated animal labs. But, you don’t need a medical degree to appreciate that practicing on human anatomy instead of animals will make personnel better equipped to treat human injuries.

Please sign my petition and join me and White Coat Waste Project in urging the DOJ to stop wasting tax dollars on live tissue training.

Sincerely,

Stephen R. Kaufman, MD