TN biotech firm to end all experiments on animals, to use virtual simulation software

PUDUCHERRY: Evolute Bioscience, a biotechnology firm in Tamil Nadu’s Trichy, has signed an agreement pledging to end all experiments on animals -- formerly required in its pharmacology education classes -- and instead use virtual simulation software.The software was provided free-of-cost by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), India, in partnership with Himachal Pradesh-based simulation developer, Simcology India. The firm decided after discussions with Peta about the superiority of non-animal research and education methods. The decision will save the lives of many animals and fish.As per the agreement with Peta, the firm has permanently prohibited the use of living and deceased animals and animal parts in undergraduate and postgraduate pharmacology education, teaching, training, and demonstrations, as well as for research and thesis work in its postgraduate curriculum.

Additionally, the firm has permanently cancelled its plans to procure at least 50 mice annually for a new educational stream focused on disease model-related animal testing. It will also discontinue using 60 zebra fish for experimentation purposes. This transition will be completed as soon as a non-animal simulation module is finalised through Simcology. Simcology’s interactive software, donated by Peta, allows pharmacology students to conduct experiments using computer-assisted learning methods while sparing the lives of animals who otherwise may be forced to inhale or consume chemicals, be infected with diseases, mutilated, and then killed via suffocation or neck dislocation.

“Pharmacology students deserve the best training possible, and that means using modern simulation tools instead of mutilating and killing animals in cruel and outdated experiments,” says Peta India scientist and research policy advisor Anjana Aggarwal.“Mice and other animals are not relevant to human pharmacology education, and Peta encourages all pharmacology programmes to follow the progressive decision by Evolute Bioscience to advance student education while sparing animals’ lives.”“Evolute Bioscience greatly appreciates Peta India for donating Simcology software that allows us to replace our experiments on animals in our undergraduate and postgraduate educational curricula while also enhancing the quality of learning for our students,” said Evolute Bioscience managing director Preyenga Saravanan.Following recommendations from Peta, the National Medical Commission in 2022 revised its guidelines for postgraduate pharmacology curricula, recommending the use of several non-animal teaching and training methods and no longer making certain routine laboratory experiments on animals mandatory.Research shows that a significant number of students at every educational level are uncomfortable with the use of animals in dissection and experimentation, and some even turn away from scientific careers rather than violate their principles. In addition, computer software programmes can be used repeatedly, which saves time and money and helps maintain ecological balance by sparing animals’ lives.