This book seeks to define the field of humanitarian medicine. It gathers new and previously-published articles and speeches that set out the principles of humanitarian medicine, starting with the idea of health as a human right, and examining topics such as quality of life, torture, and nuclear conflict. The book takes a historical view and its contributors include Nobel laureates Kofi Annan and Joseph Rotblat.

The Fundamentals: Human Rights and Health.- The Right to Health.- Health and Human Rights—A Public Health Perspective.- Health for All or Hell for All? The Role of Leadership in Health Equity.- The Declaration of Alma-Ata on Primary Health Care.- Health and Human Rights: In 25 Questions and Answers.- Freedom from Fear for Human Well-being: The Need for Humanitarian Medicine in the Prevention of Torture and the Treatment of its Survivors.- Humanitarian Medicine.- Humanitarian Medicine: A Vision and Action.- Ethical Principles for Everyone in Health Care.- Quality of Life and Medical Practice.- Medical Contributors to Social Progress: A Significant Aspect of Humanitarian Medicine.- Humanitarian Medicine Applied in a Highly Specialized Field: Cardiovascular Surgery.- Humanitarian Medicine for a Developing Country: Outreach to Cuba.- Humanitarian Basic Plastic Surgery.- International, UN and WHO Cooperation.- Find New Unity.- Health and Human Rights in International Legal Instruments.- The United Nations Today: Changes in Policies and Structures—The World Summit and UN Reform.- The Critical News Stories You Never Read.- United Nations Humanitarian Action and the Role of Non-governmental Organizations.- The UN Founding Fathers and Dr Chisholm.- Brock Chisholm—Doctor to the World.- The Language of International Humanitarian Action: A Brief Terminology.- Disasters and Conflicts.- Humanitarian Action in Major Emergencies.- The Humanitarian Postulate in Disaster Management.- Health and Social Issues of Migrants and Refugees.- Man-Conceived Disasters.- The Nuclear Issue and Pugwash.- Quantifiable Effects of Nuclear Conflict on Health and Society.- Avoidable Tragedy Post-Chernobyl—A Critical Analysis.- Science, Research and Perspectives.- The Role of Science to Improve the Quality of Life: Reflections on the Post-Genomic Era.- The Ethics of Research: The Responsibility of the Researcher.- The Cost of Not Doing Health Research.- Reflections on the Past, Present and Future of Medicine.- Scientists, Doctors and the Nuclear Dilemma.- Serving the Global Community Through eHealth: The Role of Academia.- Society, Health and Equity.- The Humanization of Medicine—A Religious Viewpoint.- Urban Social Exclusion—The Samusocial Response.- Social and Medical Progress Through Patient Education in Chronic Diseases.- An Equitable Society Protects the Health of its Weakest Members: Women and Children.- The Humanitarian Force of the UN Millennium Development Goals.- Science and the Health of the Poor.- Poverty and Disease—Health and Prosperity.