Animal testing to remain in curriculum for certain PG Medical courses: MCI Gazette

New Delhi: Amidst the demand for removing animal dissections/experimentations for all postgraduate medical courses, the Medical Council of India (MCI) gazette has clarified that it shall remain to be an integral part of certain PG medical courses

The Board of Governors in Supersession of the Medical Council of India (MCI BOG) has made a significant clarification for PG medical students as per which animal experimentation which had been condemned by the concerned authorities has now been added to Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000 (PGMER 2000) for two PG medical courses- is that Physiology and Pharmacology.

This came after the apex medical regulator noted that there are still certain areas of learning and training in medical education where animal experimentation is needed. These two particular areas involve the testing of medicines and seeing their impacts.

It is maintained that animal testing will not be a part of UG Medical Curriculum.

The proposal to this effect was recently approved by the apex medical council authorities and hence Animal experimentation in 2 PG medical courses have been directed to be added in the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000 (PGMER 2000), in Appendix-III under sub-heading C. "Infrastructural requirements" wherein it will be stated as point (7):

(7) Animal experimentation should continue to be included as an integral part of the competency-based curriculum of Postgraduate Courses in Physiology and Pharmacology in medical institutions and the concerned medical institutions shall ensure that all governing statutory regulations with regard to the use of animals experimentation in Postgraduate Courses in teaching and training of the said Postgraduate courses are strictly adhered to.

An institution eligible to start the postgraduate courses under sub-regulation, (1A) of regulation 8 may enter into a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding with an ongoing recognized medical college, located within a reasonable distance from it as would not disrupt the smooth running of the said courses, for the purpose of availing the facilities of the basic medical sciences departments of the college concerned, or it shall create the requisite facilities in its own set-up as per the guidelines indicated in the regulations

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In the past, many health authorities have come forward urging to replace animal dissection and experimentation with non-animal training methods in all postgraduate medical courses. Computer-assisted learning (CAL) and human-simulation techniques are among the methods that can replace animal use in the postgraduate medical curriculum, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, it was pointed out.

ICMR recognized the "need for alternatives to animals in experimentation" in a publication authored by former ICMR Director-General Dr Sowmya Swaminathan and other senior leadership, with expert input from Humane Society International/India (HIS/India).

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