Abstract
Objective: To discuss based on scientific articles the replacement of animals by technological resources in experimental tests in higher education in the area of health and its evolution in Brazil. Methods: A systematic review of the databases was performed: National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health (PUBMED), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS), and Scientific Electronic Library Online (SCIELO), using the descriptors: "bioethics," "animal welfare" "research ethics", "animal experimentation". 7 articles published in Portuguese and English from 2000 to 2017 were selected. Results: In recent years there has been much discussion on the use of animals in research and higher education. It is an old practice, still hurts human sensibility, and provokes discussions among students, teachers, and society, which go beyond the ethical barrier, because many question the real effectiveness of this teaching methodology in the face of technological and scientific advances available today. Final Considerations: In this scenario, alternatives arise that replace the use of animals in experimental trials with computer programs, software or mannequins that mimic physiological parameters. It has been shown that the use of animals as an experimental model is undergoing a process of transformation in both legal and methodological aspects.