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Govt panel okays animal testing at PG level medical colleges

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By
Dec 30, 2019 12:54 AM IST

The expert committee was formed to look into the feasibility of entirely doing away with animal use in laboratory experiments for training in post graduate (PG) medical education.

The expert committee formed by Union health ministry has suggested against doing away with the practice of use of animals for experimentation at the post graduate level in medical colleges, in a notification released earlier this month.

The expert committee was formed to look into the feasibility of entirely doing away with animal use in laboratory experiments for training in post graduate (PG) medical education and switching over to non-animal based modules, as suggested by the ministry of environment, forest and climate change.

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“The Board of governors regulating medical education is of the view that there are still certain areas of learning and training in medical education where animal experimentation is needed,” said Dr VK Paul, chairman, board of governors for the Medical Council of India (MCI).

The MCI earlier this month gazette notified amendments to the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000, and the new regulations are now called Postgraduate Medical Education (Amendment) Regulations, 2019.

“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…,” the December 3 Gazette notification reads.

Dr RK Vats, secretary general, MCI, said, “The expert committee held consultations and decided it has to be a part of the curriculum especially for courses such as physiology and pharmacology where medicines are tested and checked as part of student learning. It was realised that stopping experiments could result in deficiency of knowledge.”

“While at the undergraduate level there’s no animal experimentation, the environment ministry had asked for an opinion of stopping the practice entirely. So, as of now, it is very much a part of the PG curriculum and it has been conveyed to the environment ministry,” Dr Vats added.

The MCI has also directed medical college administrations to ensure all guidelines regarding animal use are strictly followed.

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