Papers concerning BMA Board of Science and Education Reports on medical impact of nuclear war

In 1981, a resolution was passed at the annual representative meeting of the British Medical Association to urge the BMA's Science and Education Board to investigate the medical impact of nuclear weapons and the value of civil defence. The inquiry was headed by Sir John Stallworthy, Chairman of the Board. The BMA invited submissions of evidence for the inquiry from any individuals or organisations. Many members of Medact gave evidence to the BMA's Board of Science and Education, in its report on the Medical Effects of Nuclear War.

As part of its investigations, the BMA Working Party on the Medical Effects of Nuclear Weapons was established as part of the BMA Board of Science and Education. Subsequently, the BMA published three reports between 1983 and 1988 highlighting the medical impact of war, claiming that the NHS would be overwhelmed in the case of a nuclear attack, and that there could be no effective medical response or civil defence procedure for dealing with a nuclear attack. The reports were intended to provide an objective and scientific account of the long term environmental and medical consequences of nuclear war, and not as an expression by the Council of any political view on nuclear disarmament.

BMA Board of Science and Education Reports: 1983: "Report of the Board of Science and Education Inquiry into the Medical Effects of Nuclear War" 1986: "The Long-term Environmental and Medical Effects of Nuclear War" 1988: "Selection of Casualties for Treatment after Nuclear Attack". Also referred to as the BMA SNAC report.

1981-1988

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