Gohil KJ. Winds of Change in India: Alternative Methods to Animal Experimentation for Pharmacy Students. Poster session presented at: Alternatives in the Mainstream: Innovations in Life Science Education and Training. 2nd InterNICHE Conference; 2005 May 12-15; Oslo, Norway


Abstract

The aim of our present study is to find out what pharmacy students and faculties feel about the issue of alternative methods and whether they are comfortable with the traditional lab based methods using animals. A study was conducted among 500 pharmacy students including 20 faculties in various pharmacy colleges in south Gujarat, India. A detailed feedback questionnaire with 10 different multiple choice questions was designed and distributed among participants to extract their responses. In preparation for this, a detailed lecture was given, informing them about ethical use of animals and various alternative methods. The majority of the students (92%) felt that capture and breeding of animals just for basic skills constitutes harmful use of animals along with poor housing, food or maintenance, infliction of unnecessary pain and killing. 52% of the students said they were uncomfortable with the traditional lab based use of animals. 20% accepted it as routine practice. Only 15% believed that animal use is absolutely necessary to get hands on experience in the laboratory. 72% were aware of various alternative methods to some extent via their teachers or internet resources. 52% considered models and simulators as the most effective way of learning. 20% supported the use of films & videos, and 10% that of multimedia. The rest went for other choices. Approximately 50% were in favour of replacement of animal use by various alternatives at least at undergraduate level, while 32% were uncertain and marked their choice as 50:50. A wind of change is certainly blowing with a powerful force in India. The majority surveyed believe that a day is not far away when more than 90% replacement by various alternatives would be possible at least at undergraduate level. Designing some experiments on software to replace at least 50% of animals in the lab, and including more clinical and field studies in practical classes could be a small move in the direction of replacement of harmful animal use before we make such replacement mandatory in the curriculum of pharmacy education.

References:
1. International workshop on Alternatives, Animal Welfare and the Curriculum - a training seminar organised by InterNICHE in conjunction with WSPA. August 15th 2004 at Baroda, India
2. Nick Jukes, Mihnea Chiuia, from Guinea Pig to Computer Mouse, 2nd edition, InterNICHE (2003)
3. www.interniche.org
4. www.wspa.org.uk
5.http://animalearn.org//index.php?PHPSESSID=6b1162e73aee86852452754ccce6eb57