Maine Medical Center has ended the use of live animals in its emergency medical training.
Residents will now use simulation-based technology instead of pigs, says Dr. John Pippin, director of academic affairs for the Physicians Committee of Responsible Medicine. He says this will not affect the quality of training at Maine Med.
“What we have found, universally, really, is once the change is made, the residents then are happy with the simulation as well,” Pippin says.
Pippin says the group raised concerns about Maine Med’s practice in June, citing violations of the Federal Animal Welfare Act, highlighting that the pigs were used in a variety of procedures. He says that as of now, there are only 10 programs left in the United States and Canada that use live animals in their emergency medicine training programs.
Since Maine Med already has technology simulation facilities, Pippin says the hospital will actually save money.
Eliana Miller is a 2019 Dowe Intern with Maine Public.
Correction: an original version of this article erroneously stated that a complaint was filed against Maine Med. No such complaint was filed. We regret the error.