PETA Members Converge on Medical School Over Cruel, Deadly Pig Lab

Group Urges Medical University of South Carolina to Switch to Modern, Humane Teaching Methods 

For Immediate Release:
July 1, 2010

Contact:
Robbyn Brooks 757-622-7382

Charleston, S.C. -- PETA members will protest outside the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) on Friday while holding signs that read, "MUSC: Stop Killing Pigs" and "Use Simulators, Not Suffering." According to MUSC internal documents obtained by PETA, a training course at the school involves cutting holes into the throats and chests of pigs, stabbing a needle into tissue surrounding their hearts, and then killing the animals. This deadly exercise continues even though the very same skills are already taught using a sophisticated human-patient simulator in another advanced training course at MUSC. Research has repeatedly shown that this simulator, which is endorsed by the American College of Surgeons, better prepares trainees to treat human patients than do cruel and crude animal-based exercises.

When:   Friday, July 2, 12 noon 

Where:  Entrance to MUSC, intersection of Calhoun Street and Courtenay Drive, Charleston

"If these skills can be effectively taught with simulators in one course, then it is indefensible to hurt and kill animals to teach those very same skills in another course," says PETA Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "Pigs are needlessly dying, and students are getting a second-rate education."

The protest follows a complaint that PETA filed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture against MUSC. As a result of the complaint, MUSC was cited in April 2010 for multiple violations of the Animal Welfare Act for approving the use of more than 1,500 animals in experiments without having legally required information, such as how and why the experimenters would be using the animals.

For more information, please visit PETA's Web site StopAnimalTests.com.