Sir, Today Medact publishes a damning report on the devastating health effects of the nuclear weapons which may be part of a new Trident system, outlined in the government White Paper on Monday.

Britain’s New Nuclear Weapons — Illegal, Indiscriminate and Catastrophic for Health details the health effects from blast, heat and radiation of a one-kilotonne nuclear bomb and challenges any notion that “sub-strategic” warheads could be “discriminate” or have “surgical” use.

So-called “low-yield” nuclear warheads may be incorporated into an upgraded Trident system. As health professionals, we have a duty to draw attention to the death and injury that would result from the use of any nuclear weapons, whatever the intended “degree of precision” or “surgical strike”.

A 1kt nuclear explosion will instantly kill everyone exposed to its blast within 800 metres. Within 20 kilometres, many people will be blinded and severely injured by flash and blast and people exposed to the radioactive fallout will experience increased incidences of cancer for decades.

The use of any nuclear weapon is not only illegal under international law, it is contrary to all ethical standards of medical practice. We believe that such ethical issues are the concern of the wider public, not just of medical practitioners.

The estimated cost for replacing Trident — £1.43 billion each year — would be better spent on improving public health including wiping out the recurring net overspend of the NHS which is £512 million for 2005-06.

DR FRANK BOULTON
Chairman, Medact

SIR DILLWYN WILLIAMS
Emeritus Professor of Histopathology, University of Cambridge

DR JUNE CROWN
President Medact; former President, Faculty of Public Health Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians

PROFESSOR ADRIAN NEWLAND
President, the Royal College of Pathologists

DR JEREMY HOLMES
Consultant Psychiatrist and Professor of Psychological Therapies, University of Exeter

DR HELEN ZEALLEY

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