Medact is part of a network of health professionals in 58 countries - International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) - working for the total abolition of nuclear weapons and all weapons of mass destruction.
Besides the dangers of their use in war or accident, nuclear weapons impact now on health and the environment through the effects of their past production and testing. These include deaths, cancers, other illnesses and large amounts of radioactive waste. We still cannot estimate the long-term effects of radiation on individuals, future generations and other life on the planet.
We believe the billions of pounds spent annually on nuclear weapons diverts creativity and resources from other much more socially useful services such as hospitals and schools.
You can find more information on Nuclear by visiting the archive.
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Please sign it and pass it on to friends and colleagues. All completed forms to come to Medact. at The Grayston Centre, 28 Charles Square, London, N1 6HT06/06/2008
Let's take cancer clusters seriously this timeAmong the many environmental concerns surrounding nuclear power plants the fear that children living near nuclear facilities face an inreased risk of cancer perhaps provokes the greatest anxiety . Now three major new studies by scientists from Germany and the US have re-ignited the long debate about the scientific evidence,,,,, click on the website below to read the summary of the article by Medact Trustee Dr Ian Fairlie in the New Scientist 12/05/2008
France is preparing to carry out test of a future missile M51 at the end of this week.We have received a message from Pierre Villard, Co-president of Le Mouvement de la Paix and Coodinator of the French coalition the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
France is preparing to carry out a new test of a future missile M51 at the end of this week. This is a complete violation of the Non-proliferation Treaty and Pierre is asking as many people as possible to send an email to protest, and break the wall of silence around this test. 27/03/2008
Medical Students open International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War CongressMedical students from 12 countries opened the recent global congress of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War with a march from the India-Pakistan border to Ghandi's burial site on the Ganges river. Dr Tony Waterston was there and describes the highlights of the congress in his blog on the British Medical Journal website 20/03/2008
Nuclear proliferation: the final pandemicA conference organised jointly by the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War and the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM) will take place at the RSM on October 3rd & 4th 2007. With the aim of refocusing attention on the need to prevent nuclear war and eliminate nuclear weapons the programme will cover subjects ranging from the climate effects of 'regional' nuclear war to the use of highly enriched uranium to produce medical isotopes. Click here to read the conference overview and use the link for registration....04/09/2007
Nuclear power in the context of climate change - not the answerIn the ongoing debate about nuclear power and climate change Dr Ian Fairlie's 2005 submission to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee clearly outlines the case that nuclear power is not the answer to reducing carbon emissions.25/04/2007
Faslane DiaryA tale of protest by health professionals and a potential haggis replacement for Trident at the Faslane submarine base as part of the Faslane 365 protest.01/03/2007
The Medical Consequences of Nuclear WeaponsDue to recent public demand for information on the effects of nuclear weapons, MEDACT is updating the 1981 pamphlet and placing it on its website. The opportunity has been taken to make a number of (mostly technical) amendments to take account of changes since 1981.
Dr IAN FAIRLIE
Dr DAVID SUMNER
February 2007
23/02/2007
New Medact Briefing: Britain's New Nuclear Weapons: Illegal, Indiscriminate, and Catastrophic for HealthIn the foreward to the White Paper on 'The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent' presented to Parliament on December 4th the Prime Minister says he 'is confident that [the resulting] debate will only confirm that maintaining our nuclear deterrent is in the best interests of the country's future security'. Medact fundamentally disagrees. Our briefing 'Britain's New Nuclear Weapons: Illegal, Indiscriminate and Catastrophic for Health' outlines why. It details the terrible health effects that even a one-kilotonne weapon would cause to reveal any nuclear weapon for what it is: indiscriminate and therefore illegal. 06/12/2006
US Nuclear Weapons in EuropeAll 480 US nuclear weapons in Europe - including some 110 in the UK - should be removed by the end of the year, according to a new Declaration to the European Parliament.
Read Medacts's supporting statament and take action yourself
To find out more click here. 12/07/2006
Faslane 365Faslane 365 is an inspired plan for a year-long peaceful protest at the Faslane Trident nuclear base. To find out more including how you can get involved click here...01/06/2006
Click the website link given below. From there, select the HTML version of the Sixth Report. Then click on "Written Evidence" at the bottom of the contents, and the link to the Memorandum submitted by Medact can be found approximately half-way down the page.22/05/2006
Nuclear Power - the case againstThe debate about nuclear power has been given fresh urgency with the formal launch on January 23rd of the UK Energy Review. Nuclear power, and the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during its production, has also become part of the climate change debate. Generating electricity by nuclear fission is potentially very hazardous to health for a number of reasons....27/01/2006
Health professionals urge Blair not to replace TridentIt appears that a decision on replacing Britain's Strategic Nuclear Deterrent (Trident) is imminent if not already taken. A number of key UK health professionals have written to Tony Blair, the leaders of the other parliamentary parties and relevant parliamentary committees setting out the strong health, humanitarian, economic, political and legal reasons for not replacing Trident. The letter urges the Prime Minister to take no decision on replacing Trident without a proper parliamentary and public debate on best methods to achieve UK and global security. The letter is signed initially by Medact President June Crown. 25/10/2005
Trident ReplacementThe UK government has said that it is likely to decide whether or not to replace the Trident nuclear weapons system during this Parliamentary term.
This new Medact briefing gives the basic data on Trident, looks at the legal and political background to the decision, gives the pros and cons of replacement, and ends by urging the government 'to act with forethought and statesmanship and lead the world from the insanity of mutual threat towards a collective and verified trust'.
The Briefing is intended to be used as a lobbying tool for those writing to MPs and others who can influence the decision.
