Legislation updates battlefield trauma training methods, phasing out the use of live animals

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressmen Hank Johnson (GA-04), Tom Marino (PA-10), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) have teamed up to reintroduce a bipartisan, bicameral bill today that would require the military to phase out the use of live animals and instead use the advanced medical technology in combat trauma courses.

H.R. 1243, the Battlefield Excellence through Superior Training Practices Act of 2017 (BEST Practices Act), phases out the use of animals in live combat trauma training courses over a five year period.

"The BEST Practices Act ensures that our military does not unnecessarily cause animals to suffer in its combat trauma training," said Rep. Johnson. "By transitioning over a five year period to artificial simulators, which better mimic human anatomy, our service members will receive superior training, while reducing costs of training programs, saving taxpayers' money, and modernizing our military." Johnson also added, "This bill is more humane, fiscally more responsible, and provides a better-quality training program for our service men and women who receive life-saving combat trauma training."

"It is past time we put an end to the use of live animals for combat trauma training. This outdated method causes too many animals to suffer when they can be replaced, just as effectively, by human-based simulator technologies," said Rep. Marino. "I have seen these simulators in action and I believe that our men and women in uniform will be better suited to deal with battlefield injuries after using them. This is a common-sense bill and will improve the training of our service men and women while saving the American taxpayers money."

Senator Ron Wyden has also joined the two Congressmen in reintroducing the bill.

"Our nation's soldiers deserve the highest quality training and technologies available," said Sen. Wyden. "Better alternatives to using animals already exist, so it's time to stop causing unnecessary harm to animals while giving our troops the chance to train with and to use newer, safer and more innovative methods for medics in the field."