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InterNICHE Co-ordinator
Nick Jukes 42 South Knighton Road Leicester LE2 3LP England Tel/Fax +44 116 2109652 coordinator@interniche.org |
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Alternatives
across
New alternatives text now available in 100 languages A new introductory text on alternatives to animal experiments in education and training (1) is launched today by InterNICHE in over 100 world languages, including Braille (2). Available here, the text asks what animal experimentation teaches you. It questions how successful such a method is in terms of meeting teaching objectives in medicine, veterinary medicine and biological science (3). It addresses the hidden curriculum and its negative impact on skills acquisition, and looks at the skills and attitudes that can only be met through humane alternative tools and approaches. Funded by the Marchig Animal Welfare Trust, the text is more widely translated than any other similar resource currently available. Its production aims to increase global awareness about humane education and alternatives, and therefore the potential for alliances and action to catalyse progressive change. One of the roles of InterNICHE is to support the development of multi-local humane education initiatives from teachers, students and campaigners that together form the transnational movement for replacement of harmful animal use. The range of languages includes those of European Union new member states and many minority languages worldwide. The translations promote the concept of alternatives in regions where animal testing is translocating, such as into Asia, and they provide appropriate texts for the first time across Africa, China and the central Asian republics. The translations directly support the on-going localised work of InterNICHE National Contacts and other collaborators. To support existing and future projects with InterNICHE Partners across India and neighbouring countries, the text has been translated into over 20 languages from the region. To support planned major outreach and other activity in Latin America (4), the text is available not only in Spanish and Portuguese but also in the indigenous Guaraní and Quechua languages (5). The translation of the text sometimes required the use of neologisms, including the introduction into some languages of words that have been created for the very first time. For example, the cutting-edge technology of virtual reality (VR), employed for advanced training in surgical skills and procedures such as resection and endoscopy, has been translated into Guaraní as ‘real thing that does not exist.’ (6) Nick Jukes, Co-ordinator of InterNICHE, said, “Enhancing the quality of education and training, and supporting humanity in science, are important for all countries and all cultures. The wide range of translations launched today reflects the InterNICHE commitment to internationalising alternatives for this purpose, whilst honouring linguistic and cultural diversity. The arguments for best practice are stronger than ever, and from today they are even more accessible.” (1) What do you think animal experiments teach you? InterNICHE (2007). Available here (2) Albanian, Arabic, Armenian, Assamese, Azerbaijani, Basque, Belarussian, Bengali, Breton, Bulgarian, Burmese, Buryat, Catalan, Chinese (Mandarin), Cornish, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dari, Dogri, Dutch, English, Estonian, Farsi, Finnish, Flemish, French, Georgian, German, Greek, Guaraní (Avañe'ẽ), Gujarati, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Irish Gaelic, Italian, Japanese, Kachin, Kalmyk-Oirat, Kalenjin, Kikamba, Kannada, Kashmiri, Kazakh, Khmer, Kikuyu, Kiswahili, Konkani, Korean, Kurdish, Kyrgyz, Lao, Latvian, Lithuanian, Luhya, Luo, Malay, Malayalam, Maltese, Maori, Marathi, Mongolian (Cyrillic), Mongolian (Uigur / Inner Mongolian), Nepali, Norwegian, Oriya, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Quechua, Rajasthani, Romanian, Romani, Russian, Scots Gaelic, Serbian, Sindhi, Sinhalese, Slovak, Slovenian, Sotho, Spanish, Swedish, Sylheti, Tagalog, Tajik, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Tibetan, Tswana, Tulu, Turkish, Turkmen, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek, Vietnamese, Welsh and Zulu. Further languages are to follow. (3) Academic studies demonstrate that alternatives such as advanced software and training mannekins are at least as successful in terms of student and trainee performance. See for example Martinsen S, Jukes N. Towards a humane veterinary education. J Vet Med Educ 2005;32:454–460. See also Patronek GJ, Rauch A. Systematic review of comparative studies examining alternatives to the harmful use of animals in biomedical education. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2007;230:37–43 The impact of the hidden curriculum of practical classes involving animal experiments and the dissection of purposely killed animals must also be addressed when teaching objectives are assessed. This hidden curriculum teaches the acceptability of harmful and instrumental use of animals and can bring about desensitisation. This can work against the development of the clinical skill of caring – the root of the medical and veterinary medical professions – and can undermine the concept of biology as the study of life. Harmful animal use may also preclude the meeting of teaching objectives that can only be gained through non-animal alternative tools and through animal-based alternative approaches such as ethical field studies and clinical work with animal patients. Such objectives may include a higher level of surgical competence, broader awareness of animal behaviour, and the development of care as a clinical skill. Awareness of the hidden curriculum and of the potential of alternatives gives further weight to the InterNICHE argument that replacement alternatives are always superior to harmful animal use in terms of knowledge and skills acquisition, as well as ethics. (4) The InterNICHE Latin American outreach is supported by the Doerenkamp-Zbinden Foundation and will involve presentations, alternatives demonstrations, alliance-building and support for humane education initiatives in Mexico, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil. (5) The interplay between biodiversity and linguistic and cultural diversity suggests that support for minority languages may also impact positively on animals. For example, many indigenous cultures have wide linguistically encoded knowledge about ecological relationships amongst plants and animals. See, for example, www.terralingua.org (6) VR is used most widely for medical training in countries with widespread hi-tech medical facilities, but interactive internet technologies that involve virtual imaging, such as telesurgery, are suitable for use in remote locations such as the Amazon. The origin of animals captured and killed for practical classes may also include economically disadvantaged countries and regions. Awareness of humane education and alternatives can be increased, and success in replacement of harmful animal use enhanced, when efforts are globally networked and culturally inclusive.
InterNICHE announces new international Partners InterNICHE today announces 16 new international Partners, all involved in major collaborative projects in humane education and alternatives. The new role of InterNICHE Partner has been developed to bring more individuals, organisations and institutes into close collaboration with InterNICHE and to recognise existing joint activity. The 14 organisations and 2 individuals accepted for the 2007-2008 academic year are: * NOAH, from Norway Examples of the collaborative projects for Partners include national level information gathering and networking, distribution of resources, co-organisation of outreach and training, co-management of alternatives distribution projects, and translation of major alternatives texts. A second round of Partners for 2007-2008 will be announced soon. The acceptance of the new Partners will positively impact on the implementation of alternatives both nationally and internationally. The many new countries represented reflect the growth of humane education activity across the world and the potential of alliances that benefit all parties. InterNICHE also has active National Contacts in a wide range of countries, and continues to collaborate with many other individuals, organisations and institutes. For contact details, click here3000 animals replaced in Gujarat, India The CAL Pharmacology Compilation was launched as freeware, enabling it to be freely duplicated. Over 4000 copies have been distributed across India by InterNICHE and its collaborators, including the Indian Journal of Pharmacology, and many more copies have been made locally. Snehal Bhavsar from the GSPCA, the prime mover in achieving the curricular transformation at Bhavnager University, has been encouraging colleges and universities across Gujarat to abandon experiments in education, with success rooted in her strategic and tactical skills. In her role as CPCSEA nominee across much of the state, she is able to place demands on universities, as well as on companies involved in research and testing on animals. The CPCSEA is the Indian government agency that supervises animal experimentation. It is often described as inefficient and careless at the central level, but sometimes highly effective at the local and regional level, such as in Gujarat. Changes in the requirements for education issued by the Indian government and applied by CPCSEA nominees have played a major role in changes away from animal experiments too. The CPCSEA Guidelines address dissection in zoology and other science courses. Dissection and experiments at the basic level of bachelor degrees were made non-compulsory in 2006. However, curricular regulations from the ‘outside examiners’ working for the Indian government’s Department of Education still demanded dissection at this point of time, so a conflict had been created. Aware that the dissection was not truly necessary, and considering the cost and extra requirements for all work with animals, the teachers themselves co-operated to successfully lobby the Department to remove dissection from the curriculum for the whole country. The change had impact at university level but also in the last few remaining secondary schools that were still doing dissections (most dissections at secondary level had stopped by 2001). As well as addressing basic education, the Guidelines promote the ‘4Rs’ of reduction, replacement, refinement and rehabilitation at MSc level and for research and testing. Requests in protocols sent to the CPCSEA in Gujarat for animal use by lower MSc students are now rejected. Permission for most experiments at Karamsab AR Pharmacology College, for example, has been withdrawn: not only are the experiments effectively no longer allowed, but the college has insufficient space for an animal house of the ‘high’ standards now required. Only higher MSc animal use is allowed, and this is for ‘mild’ experiments only. The killing of healthy animals after experiments at all levels has now been severely curtailed, and their rehabilitation costs must now be paid for. There is a growing number of private colleges with high numbers of animals used in their MSc courses, but many are not registered with the CPCSEA as they should be, and so do not have the same checks by nominees as government establishments do. In another approach to achieving change, CPCSEA nominees demanded quarterly statistical reports about animals bred and used by pharmaceutical testing companies in Gujarat. Analysis of the data showed a discrepancy: companies were breeding so-called ‘excess’ animals who were not used and were instead donated free to colleges and universities. This practice was therefore stopped, thereby cutting the supply of free animals to educational establishments across the state. At the same time, the cost of computers has been decreasing, so some educational establishments consider that if they would now have to pay for animals, and struggle to meet the strict requirements, it may be wise to invest in buying hardware and using alternatives instead. By demanding that educational and research and testing establishments have their own animal house – and well-equipped with suitable maintenance, climate control and other conditions - the level of practical and ethical standards concerning animal breeding and use that must be met has also increased. As a result, some establishments no longer apply for clearance by the CPCSEA in the state, and the experiments are abandoned. From 2004, animal use in education was already significantly and constantly decreasing across Gujarat. This was a direct result, according to Snehal Bhavsar, of the two-fold approach employed: information provision, outreach work and training in alternatives provided by InterNICHE, and her own sustained engagement with and pressure on establishments on the issue. An InterNICHE speaking tour in 2003 took the message of full replacement and the evidence of superior student performance when using alternatives to 22 locations right across India. 1600 copies of the InterNICHE book and database ‘from Guinea Pig to Computer Mouse’ (2nd ed.) were distributed at the same time. Meetings were also held between InterNICHE and the academic councils and CPCSEA. In 2004 over 400 university teachers were trained at events in 10 cities in India in the largest training event of its nature ever held worldwide. The ‘Alternatives, Animal Welfare and the Curriculum’ series of seminars was organised by InterNICHE and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) in conjunction with many committed local organisations across the country. The GSPCA was the local organiser in Gujarat. Travel support was provided to senior university officials, heads of department and research students to attend the day-long seminars. Teams of teacher trainers self-trained and then demonstrated in detail a range of alternative tools chosen according to the Indian curricula for different disciplines. Many of the tools were provided by the InterNICHE Alternatives Loan System. Others, such as calf anatomy models, were Indian-made. Teachers and others have since been requesting of the GSPCA and InterNICHE further training in alternatives. As Snehal Bhavsar continues to address humane education, complaints from students to her in her role as GSPCA representative and CPCSEA nominee about harmful animal use have guided efforts for a targeted increase of pressure at specific establishments. Moreover, half of Gujarat’s population is Jain, a religion where the value of non-violence towards people and animals is specifically acknowledged, and this is impacting positively on the process of change. Historically, some Jain academics have advised followers not to enter medicine and related fields because of the dissection and vivisection that might be expected of students. As far as civil rights are concerned, those with religious or otherwise deeply held convictions concerning the integrity of life should be able to enter all fields of study. The issue illustrates the potential of alternatives to help make real the government pledges to make education fully inclusive and non-discriminatory. The replacement of the 3000 animals at Bhavnager University is highly significant and a major success for campaigners. However, it is dwarfed by the changes in education across the whole of Gujarat, which comprise an 80% reduction of animal use in many courses over the past 12 months. This translates to replacement of over 10,000 animals, achieved in a state where animal use in research and testing is one of the highest in India. Alternatives texts available in 3
more languages InterNICHE Humane Education Award invests
in new alternatives worldwide The award-winning InterNICHE video ‘Alternatives in Education’ is now available for free download. The 33-minute film features interviews with life science teachers and students, and samples classical experiments where conventional animal use has been replaced by a range of progressive, humane alternatives. From anatomy, clinical skills and surgery to physiology and pharmacology, the pedagogical, economic and ethical benefits of alternatives are clearly illustrated. A number of innovative learning tools that have been implemented at universities across the world, including multimedia computer simulation, self-experimentation apparatus and training mannekins, are demonstrated by the teachers. Produced in 1999 but still fully relevant today, ‘Alternatives in Education’ is also available on video cassette and CD. There are 15 translated versions available, with new languages under production. Existing translations include Croatian, Czech, Estonian, French, German, Georgian, Hungarian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovenian, Spanish and Ukrainian, with text transcription available in Japanese. For more details, please contact InterNICHE. InterNICHE book now on-line New Animal Use Policy now on-line The InterNICHE Policy on the Use of Animals and Alternatives in Education is now on-line. This comprehensive document, in 10 sections, addresses all aspects of work with animals and alternatives in life science education. The Policy reflects the InterNICHE commitment to full replacement of harmful animal use whilst supporting effective acquisition of knowledge and skills. Beginning with the InterNICHE Position Statement, a definition of alternatives in education and a definition of harm, it then presents individual policies on a range of issues including dissection, the sourcing of animal cadavers and tissue, work with live animals for clinical skills and surgery training, and ethical field studies. It also addresses the use of animals for the production of alternatives themselves. While the ideal ‘replacement alternative’ is defined as ‘non-animal’ within the 3Rs philosophy of Russell and Burch (1959), the InterNICHE Policy highlights a shortcoming of the 3Rs approach with respect to education. Not only is there a requirement in some disciplines for students to work with and be familiar with animals, animal tissue and clinical procedures, but there is widespread evidence of the ability to fully meet such teaching objectives in ways that are neutral or beneficial to the well-being of individual animals and that do not involve laboratory animal experimentation or killing. It is the full replacement of harmful animal use rather than of all work with animals which is the appropriate solution to many of the pedagogical, ethical and practical challenges facing teachers and students. Although the InterNICHE definition of harm is strict - the denial of an animal’s freedom to live and to express full natural behaviour are considered to be significant forms of harm, for example - the exacting demands of the Policy can indeed be met. As well as non-animal learning tools like multimedia computer simulation and virtual reality, digital video, training models and mannekins, replacement alternatives can also include the use of ethically-sourced animal cadavers for dissection, clinical skills and surgery practice, and apprenticeship into all aspects of clinical practice within the healing context of work with animal patients. A definition of ‘ethically-sourced’, and guidelines on the educational opportunities associated with clinical work, are included in the Policy. Nevertheless, as the majority of life science students will enter professions that do not involve work with animals, well-designed combinations of non-animal learning tools can successfully meet the diversity of teaching objectives in their practical courses. This leaves the privilege of working with animals to students of veterinary medicine, zoology and other fields where such experience is genuinely required, and where it can be achieved harmlessly or with real benefit to individual animals. For medical students and some others, the performance of simple or computer-linked self-experimentation exercises, along with the use of problem-based learning and clinical work with human patients, can provide valuable learning opportunities with a much greater degree of relevance to their future careers than laboratory animal experimentation. The InterNICHE Policy, first published in the book from Guinea Pig to Computer Mouse (2nd edition, 2003), presents comprehensive guidelines to ensure effective and fully ethical acquisition of knowledge and skills in all disciplines of life science education.
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