Research Animals

Welfare of Animals Used in Cosmetic Surgery Training

Cosmetic surgery and medical procedure training using animals raises welfare concerns when live tissue practice can be replaced by simulation alternatives.

Key Facts

Veterinary training increasingly uses simulation models instead of live animals
Some medical training programs still use live animals for procedural practice
High-fidelity surgical simulators replicate tissue properties effectively
Systematic reviews show simulation training is comparable to live tissue training outcomes
Military trauma training is an area where live tissue use persists despite simulation advances

Welfare Considerations

Live animal use in medical training causes welfare harm that alternatives can prevent. As simulation technology improves, the justification for live tissue use diminishes. Welfare advocacy here focuses on accelerating regulatory acceptance of validated training alternatives.

What You Can Do

Support medical school adoption of simulation training over live animal use
Advocate for USDA inclusion of training use animals in welfare reporting
Donate to organizations developing and validating simulation training tools
Encourage medical training programs to publish their live tissue use reduction plans