National Antivisection Society
2004-05 Education - Alternatives in higher education lecture tour of Brazil
In 2004, the LDF sponsored a lecture tour of Brazilian universities by Dr David Dewhurst to promote computer based teaching packages replacing animals. Dr Dewhurst and Professor Elaine Del Bel visited departments at the Universidade de São Paulo in São Paulo and Ribeirão Preto, the Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul in Campo Grande, the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, and the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis. They also met staff from the Universidade Católica Dom Bosco.
Dr Dewhurst found that there was already a move away from animal use in physiology and pharmacology and a willingness to use alternatives. However the cost of programmes is a problem and Portuguese language versions are clearly desirable. The Universidada Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul is a nonresearch university, yet it used more animals in teaching than facilities undertaking more research. Here over 600 rats are used annually for neurology, cardiology, endocrine and reproduction teaching; 20 frogs for neuromuscular and neurophysiology; 160 chickens in necropsy classes; and 2-3 chickens for veterinary science. At the other facilities much of this animal use had been abandoned.
The tour re-emphasised the importance of the current LDF project to improve delivery, availability and different language versions of alternatives.
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