Trident
Nuclear weapons continue to pose a profound threat to human life on the planet. This section of the website includes material on the history of nuclear weapons and their effects, why they are still such a threat and why the UK should not be renewing Trident. The UK...Militarisation
Militarisation Militarisation: The action of making military in character or style; spec. transformation to military methods or status, esp. by the provision or expansion of military forces and other resources. (Oxford English Dictionary). Medact believes that...Sustainable Food Systems in Undergraduate Education
“…health professionals need to become well informed about the dangers posed by global environmental change to the health of those they serve and the potential for health co-benefits from policies to prevent damage to natural systems.” Lancet...Sustainable Diets
“What, and how much we eat directly affects what, and how much is produced. We therefore need to consume more “sustainable diets” – diets that have lower environmental impacts, and are healthier.” Garnett 2014 In the UK we are consuming more...Health Under Attack
Intentional and direct attacks on hospitals are war crimes, and denying people access to essential health care is a serious violation of international humanitarian law – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, 3 May 20161 According to a study by the World Health...Health Impact Assessments
There is a wealth of data and research on the devastating consequences for health of violent conflict. Up until now this research has not been used by decision makers in their deliberations when deciding whether to engage in military action. Medact believes that if...Drones
Medact published a report in 2012, and an update in 2013, outlining the many reasons why health professionals are deeply concerned about the increasing use of drones. These concerns range from the number of deaths and injuries of civilians (a study reported in the New...Tax & Health
Severe resource constraints in the wake of the financial crisis have made the provision of health care more difficult than ever. In the UK, the NHS is facing the largest round of cuts in government spending ever proposed. And these cuts are already having an impact:...Arms & conflict
War and conflict are major causes of human suffering. They also cause environmental degradation, perpetuate inequalities and undermine democracy. Nuclear bombs and other indiscriminate weapons of mass destruction are incompatible with the public health aims of safety and health protection.