Florida High School First In The World To Use Synthetic Frogs For Dissection

JW Mitchell High School in Port Richey, Pasco County, Florida, has become the first school in the world to introduce synthetic frogs for dissection earlier this week.

Instead of preserved dead frogs, students will use a product called SynFrog, developed by Tampa-based company SynDaver. The company makes animal and human models for educational and surgical simulation purposes.

The synthetic frogs mimic the texture and visual qualities of a live female frog – it has been designed to mimic living tissue. Plus, it’s safer to use compared to a real preserved frog because it is free from potentially harmful chemicals like formalin.

Each SynFrog costs $150, which is much pricier than a real frog, but the county school administration wants to pave the way and lead innovation. “The Pasco County School District is committed to being a leader in innovation and opportunity for students, so we are excited to announce that Mitchell High School is the first in the world to use SynFrogs in science labs, giving our students a learning experience no other students have ever had,” said Kurt Browning, Pasco County Superintendent of Schools.

Last year, in India, former health minister Shatrughan Sinha wrote to the Medical Council of India, urging them to ban animal dissection in universities. In India, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, recommends that non-animal training be used when available.

_{*Feature image courtesy colby.edu}

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