Why and How Should Physicians Mitigate Threats of Nuclear War?

Abstract

Most physicians do not see, or learn to see, nuclear war threat mitigation as within the scope of their professional duties. This commentary on a case argues there are 2 reasons why physicians, in particular, should draw on their unique training and expertise in medicine to help avert nuclear war: the risk of nuclear war and therefore the risk of catastrophic community, domestic, and global health consequences is presently high; and physicians today can draw on a strong history of past physicians' nuclear disarmament advocacy strategies. This commentary concludes by canvassing how those past strategies can best be applied today.