University of Washington Ends Animal Use for Paramedic Training
An Alternatives to Animal Testing, Experimentation and Dissection Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM
November 2021

We threw everything we had at UW, and all of that hard work has finally paid off! The director of the paramedic training program confirmed that they have “transitioned to high-fidelity simulation."

AND take this action: Tell the University of Washington to End Live Animal Use for Surgery Training

Piglet

I am reaching out today to bring you some exciting news. You are familiar with our efforts to end the University of Washington’s use of live animals for paramedic training. Trainees would cut into the necks of live pigs to insert a breathing tube—a procedure that was performed up to six times on each animal before they were killed. But now, thanks to you, that cruel practice is a thing of the past! UW just confirmed that it has completely replaced animals in the paramedic program!

We first contacted UW faculty in 2012 and offered research and data supporting a switch to nonanimal methods, but the university was not receptive. That’s when we launched a public campaign.

We placed ads, held physician-led demonstrations, delivered tens of thousands of your signed petitions, coordinated a demonstration of a high-fidelity simulator outside of the university’s Board of Regents meeting, and even worked with King County officials and state legislators, some of whom introduced a bill that would have outlawed animal use for paramedic training.

In fact, in June this year we increased the pressure by holding a demonstration outside of UW’s medical center, filing a federal complaint, and flooding the UW light rail station with 25 ads.

We threw everything we had at UW, and all of that hard work has finally paid off! The director of the paramedic training program confirmed that they have “transitioned to high-fidelity simulation.”

However, it’s not over yet. The University of Washington is still using live pigs to train general surgery residents. Tell the University of Washington to End Live Animal Use for Surgery Training

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