Alternatives to Animals in Teaching: Experience in an Indian Medical School

the Medical Council of India (MCI) prescribes the theory and practical curriculum for all medical subjects taught in the undergraduate medical course in India. Pharmacology for the basic medical degree (MBBS) course is taught for 18 months during the second and third year of the course. Currently, animal experiments are taught to students in the practical classes, and they have to perform these animal experiments to get hands-on experience. Students are evaluated in the summative examination on the animal experiments, and those who fail to clear the practical examination are not promoted. the authors have worked as medical teachers in the Department of Pharmacology in the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical education (JIPMeR) for the past 25 years and would like to share their experiences in developing, introducing, and implementing alternatives to animals in teaching pharmacology to medical undergraduate students in their department.