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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MANA & MEDACT Summer concert May 23rd St James's PiccadillyIn collaboration with Medact, Musicians against Nuclear Arms (MANA) will present a Summer concert for peace at St James’s Church 197 Piccadilly W1J 9LL. on May 23rd 2013 at 7.30 pm.
Works by Mozart, Beethoven and Dai Fujikura will be performed by the MANA Chamber Orchestra, conducted by the renowned conductor Martyn Brabbins and with the celebrated pianist Noriko Ogawa as soloist. The concert is in memory of MANA patron Sir Colin Davis.
Click here for full details, including how to buy a ticket, or on download to download the concert leaflet.
Tickets 17/05/2013
Oslo conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear WeaponsMedact was well represented at the historic Oslo Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons. Frank Boulton, Medact Trustee, and Judith McDonald and Margaret Stewart from Medact in Scotland all attended. The states and organisations that attended clearly made the case that an understanding of the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any nuclear detonation is a key stepping stone to abolition. To download the press release click here. More information can also be found by clicking on the link to the ICAN website. 06/03/2013
The delusional thinking behind a policy of 'nuclear deterrence'The report 'The delusional thinking behind a policy of nuclear deterrence' will be launched at the House of Lords on February 6th 2013 at 18.00hrs. Speakers at the launch include Kate Hudson of CND, Ben Zala of the Oxford Research Group and Frank Boulton of Medact.
For more details please email info@medact.org - all welcome!
The report - dedicated to Gill Reeve former director of Medact - can be downloaded here.
Frank Boulton's blog from the IPPNW International Congress in HiroshimaClick here to read Frank Boulton's daily bolg from the IPPNW International Congress in Hiroshima "6.40 am train to Fukushima (two hours), them the bus tour which took us through deserted fields and dwellings, but also to temporary settlements for the evacuees......."
To read the Press Statement from the Congress click Download File. 24/08/2012
Nuclear Famine: A Billion People at RiskEven a limited nuclear exchange would cause major worldwide climate disruption, bringing down food production, and putting more that a billion people at risk as a consequence of 'nuclear famine'. This is the finding of an IPPNW report by Dr Ira Helfand released on April 25th 2012: 'Nuclear Famine: A Billion People at Risk - Global Impacts of Limited Nuclear War on Agriculture, Food Supplies and Human Nutrition'. To read the report click here06/08/2012
Nuclear Abolition Day June 2nd - paediatricians speak out for the health of future generations A group of paediatricians signed a letter written by Medact that appeared in the Guardian the day before Nuclear Abolition Day, appealing to the Prime Minister to play an active part in initiating negotiations towards a Nuclear Weapons Convention, as the only way to ensure that no children - now or in the future - will have to live under the threat of these terrible weapons. A longer letter with the full list of signatures was delivered to Downing Street. To read the letter click here02/06/2012
Beating the Bomb is now available to view on lineBeating the Bomb is an independent, grassroots documentary about war and peace, foreign policy, nuclear weapons and the fight against them. It is a historical documentary, charting ‘The Bomb’ from 1941 to present day. The film frames the nuclear issue within the wider context of global justice. It has been screened in over 15 festivals worldwide and won an award for ‘Best Documentary, Aglet Award’ at The Red Rock Film Festival in Utah, USA.26/04/2012
MILITARY ACTION WILL NEVER PREVENT NUCLEAR PROLIFERATIONInternational Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) has issued a statement opposing all military action against Iran’s nuclear program. Attacking Iranian facilities will cause widespread devastation, increase the risk of nuclear proliferation, and halt the chances for peace in the region. The statement supports efforts to negotiate a nuclear-weapons-free Middle East, and underlines the urgency of moving forward on negotiations towards a Nuclear Weapons Convention as the only way to eliminate all existing nuclear weapons and prevent all states from acquiring or reacquiring them in the future. To read the full statement click here09/02/2012
20 Questions on a Nuclear Weapons ConventionA Nuclear Weapons Convention is a proposed treaty to ban nuclear weapons and ensure their elimination. For more information on how it would work, who's in favour of it and how you can get involved in campaigning for disarmament, download ICAN-UK's accessible new resource: 20 Questions on a Nuclear Weapons Convention. To request free printed copies of this factsheet, please contact the Medact office.31/01/2011
New Anglo-French Nuclear Deal Undermines Security and Health Medact's Chair Frank Boulton and Dr Abraham Behar President of French Physicians Against Nuclear Weapons (AMFPGN) have signed a joint statement opposing the new Anglo-French Treaty that means the two countries will have a joint facility for testing the safety of their nuclear arsenals. The statement points out that this allows a transfer of nuclear weapons knowledge that is in contravention of Article 1 of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and contributes to the growing distrust caused by Nuclear Weapons States not doing enough to disarm in 'good faith' as demanded by the NPT. They conclude by called on all nations to work towards a Nuclear Weapons Convention that would abolish all such weapons. Read their full statment by clicking here.23/11/2010
Zero is the Only OptionInternational Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) has pubished a major new briefing paper on the global climate and health effects of nuclear war. Zero is the Only Option, produced for the 2010 Non-Proliferation Treaty Reveiw Conference, draws extensively from the work of climate scientists at Rutgers University and the University of Colorado at Boulder, including Alan Robock, O.B.Toon, Michael Mills, and their colleagues, who have documented the climate effects of regional nuclear war. Click here to download the report. 20/05/2010
We don't need Trident! - demonstrate at Aldermaston February 15thJoin a group of Medact members to protest at the continued developed of Weapons of Mass Destruction on UK soil. The Tridentploughshares/CND blockade of Aldermaston, near Reading will take place from 7am on Monday 15th Feb.
There are various levels of protest on the day and all levels of involvement are equally important.
As ever, it is always good to have a prominent group of health professionals at such occasions and this is a particularly important (and even achievable, dare we suggest!) focus of protest. For further information about the blockade see Trident Ploughshares website (www.tridentploughshares.org) or CND's (www.cnduk.org).
If you are interested in going please contact Gay Lee 020 8674 9397,
greyhair@nildram.co.uk who is coordinating the Medact contingent.01/02/2010
Sign the Rethink Trident StatementCND and Compass have brought together a coalition of over 100 leading figures from across British public life to call for a halt to Trident replacement and a re-deployment of the resources saved to more socially useful areas. Click here to see how you can read the statement and add your name to this call; please also lobby your MP to sign EDM 380 which bears the same message.14/12/2009
What do 71 MPs really think?ICAN-UK have identified 71 MPs who have a record of voting to get rid of the Trident nuclear weapons system, but who have not yet signed an EDM supporting a Nuclear Weapons Convention (EDM 72 & 1282). We are asking members to write to these MPs - particularly if you are in one of their constituencies - to find out their views on starting multilateral negoitations towards a Nuclear Weapons Convention. Please click here to see a draft letter you may want to use or adapt. Click on the link to check whether your MP has already signed. It will be really helpful if you could let us know about any response you get. Thanks!29/06/2009
Securing out Survival: the case for a Nuclear Weapons ConventionSecuring our Survival presents a draft model international treaty - or package of agreements – for
the phased elimination of nuclear weapons worldwide. A Nuclear Weapons Convention would cut through the widely held perception that nuclear disarmament is an impossible dream. This model convention offers a vision of what a nuclear weapons free world might look like and provides a way for people to see how nuclear disarmament could actually take place, showing the steps that could practically lead to nuclear weapons being safely eliminated by all parties.
Download a 4-page summary of the model convention here; or go to the ICAN-UK website by clicking here. 26/05/2009
Lobby in the European Parliament for the US Nuclear Bombs based in Europe to be removedThe United States has Free Fall Nuclear Bombs based in a number of European Countries. These bombs, although under the command of the US are based aboard European military planes and would be dropped by European pilots
Recently bombs have been withdrawn from Britain and Greece. Lobby to have the rest of these bombs removed from Germany, Belgium, Holland, Italy and Turkey by contacting your MEP. European Parliament Elections are on Thursday 4th June. 15/05/2009
Disarmament and Arms Control TreatiesFor a comprehensive summary of Disarmament and Arms Control Treaties form the Antartic Treaty of 1959 to information about possible future treaties such as the Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space (PPWT) click here. 17/03/2009
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
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.
