Validity of the small swine model for human electrical safety risks

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Forensic Science
• Toxicology

Background:

• Small swine are frequently used in electrical safety studies.
• Anatomical and electrophysiological differences, along with body size, impact the ventricular fibrillation (VF) threshold in swine.
• Concerns exist that these factors may inaccurately represent human risk from electrical devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the validity of small swine as models for electrical safety studies, using conducted electrical weapons (CEWs) as a case example.
• To compare electrical safety data from swine studies with human epidemiological data and established safety standards.

Main Methods:

• Review of published electrical safety studies on CEWs in swine.
• Comparison with finite element modeling (FEM) studies.
• Analysis of electrical safety standards and field data from CEW usage.
• Comparison of swine body weights to those of individuals in arrest-related deaths.

Main Results:

• Studies utilizing small swine tend to exaggerate the risks associated with CEW use in humans.
• Discrepancies were noted between swine study outcomes and real-world epidemiological data.

Conclusions:

• The use of small swine in electrical safety studies, particularly for CEWs, may not accurately reflect human risk.
• The general applicability of small swine models for electrical safety research warrants critical re-evaluation.