Still killing dogs
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- January
- 24
The New York Medical College still uses live animal labs to teach its students, one of an ever smaller number of medical schools holding on to the practice.
Today, in advance of the dog labs scheduled for next week, the students are holding a noontime forum. Six second-year students, three who participated, three who declined, are to speak.
In past years, some 15 to 20 dogs have been killed at the end of the labs.
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has been trying to convince the college for more than a decade to make a change. Most medical schools—the physicians committee says 85 percent—use simulators, schools like Columbia and Yale.
Only two schools in New York still use the animals, the medical college included, according to physicians comittee.
The medical college says in a statement that it believes its limited use of animals in teaching medicine is justified by the benefit to society. The knowledge gained will improve the health and life of humankind, it says.
“The College maintains that there is no substitute for the sensory and experiental components of the laboratory exercise,” it says.
But outstanding medical schools across the country have come to a different conclusion.
The college last reexamined its position nearly three years ago. It’s time for a new look.
It’s one of the last schools still killing animals to train medical students. Is that really a distinction it wants?
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, January 24th, 2007 at 10:46 am by Noreen O'Donnell.
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It is time the New York Medical College moved into the 21st century. As pointed out by Ms O’Donnell, over 85% of US medical schools do not currently use live animals( in this case dogs) in their physiology teaching, and NO European medical schools do!
In order to be a compassionate future doctor, one must respect all life forms and eschew this outmoded and inhumane practice of vivisection.
Unfortunately, the administration of the NYMC is not open to any hardcore discussion of this practice as displayed by its cancellation of the Physians’ Committee for Responsible Medicine’s participation in the proposed student meeting. That an insitution of advanced education should exert such censorship on its student body is unacceptable. This is the same institition that refused a donation from Planned Parenthood on moral and ethical grounds i.e. a ‘pro-life’ stance. Yet, they are more than willing to perpetuate the slaughter of innocent animals supposedly to benefit humans despite the fact that even more prestigous universities seem to be able to educate students using alternatives to vivsection.
I urge any concerned citizens to contact the Medical School administration and let them know that we have them in our sight and we won’t give up until they put an end to the infamous dog lab. Remember..Times they are a-changing!
PCRM urgently needs your help to stop a cruel and unnecessary live dog lab scheduled to take place the week of January 29 at the New York Medical College. First-year medical students who participate in this physiology lab will use dogs purchased from Class B animal dealers, who often acquire animals through theft and deception and are known to sell lost and stolen cats and dogs to researchers.
Please make polite phone calls to Ralph A. O’Connell, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine at 914-594-4900 and Gabor Kaley, Ph.D., chairman of the Department of Physiology, at 914-594-4087 and ask them to immediately cancel this course and implement humane alternatives. You can also automatically send them an e-mail or fax them at the numbers below:
Ralph A. O’Connell, M.D.
Dean, School of Medicine
Administrative Building
New York Medical College
Valhalla, NY 10595
Phone: 914-594-4900
Fax: 914-594-4145
oconnell@nymc.edu
Gabor Kaley, Ph.D.
Chairman, Department of Physiology
Basic Sciences Building
New York Medical College
Valhalla, NY 10595
Phone: 914-594-4087
Fax: 914-594-4018
Gabor_Kaley@nymc.edu
Please forward the e-mail to your friends and family and ask them to contact the school as well.
Twenty years ago, live dogs were commonly used in physiology, pharmacology, and surgery classes at medical schools. A standard lab involved anesthetizing the dogs, followed by injecting pharmaceuticals or practicing surgical techniques. After the class, the dogs were killed.
Today, the New York Medical College is one of just two medical schools that continue to use live dogs in physiology courses. Fortunately, more than 85 percent of U.S. medical schools have recognized that there is no need for students to train on live animals to become successful physicians and have eliminated live animal labs from their curriculum altogether. Innovations in medical simulation technology, availability of alternatives, increased awareness of ethical concerns, and a growing acknowledgement that medical training must be human-focused have facilitated this shift.
Learn more about live animal labs and what you can do to help end them. If you have any questions, please contact me at rmerkley@pcrm.org or 202-686-2210, ext 336. Thank you so much for your help.
Best regards,
Ryan Merkley
Research Program Coordinator