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BMJ No 7124 Volume 316 Letters Saturday 3 January 1998 Humanitarian issues WMA wants medicines and foods to be excluded from economic sanctions Editor, Delamothe rightly points out that economic embargoes, some of which are based on United Nations policies, are having a devastating effect on the health of many people in affected countries.(1) Children are particularly vulnerable to the shortage of medical supplies - including vaccines - and food. Starvation is life threatening; long term food deprivation affects physical development, including that of the brain. The young people in Iraq, Cuba, and other countries clearly show the devastation that sanctions can cause. It was for this reason that the World Medical Association, at its assembly last November, passed the following resolution, which had been prepared by the BMA: 'Recognising that all people have the right to preservation of health and that the Geneva convention (article 23, number IV, 1949) requires the free passage of medical supplies intended for civilians, the World Medical Association urges national medical associations to ensure that governments employing economic sanctions against other states respect the agreed exemptions for medicines, medical supplies, and basic food items.' The BMA has already written to the secretaries of state for international development and for foreign affairs over this matter. We shall be asking colleagues from other national medical associations what responses they have had from their governments. W James Appleyard Chair, World Medical Association medical ethics committee BMA, London WC1H 9JP References 1 Delamothe T. Embargoes that endanger health. BMJ 1997;315:1393-4. (29 November.) Home | Current issue | Past issues | Classified ads | Career Focus | Feedback Collections | About this site | About the BMJ | BMA | Medline