Medical Commission members in Greece

The UIAA Medical Commission had its annual meeting on the island of Kalymnos, which included the opportunity for attendees to climb its immaculate limestone crags.

Commission President Dr. David Hillebrandt reported that two-day meeting included one-day discussion Medical Commission business and the two days offering lectures to the local climbing community and basic first aid training to the Kalymnos mountain rescue team.

“It was good to see so many of our members report on their involvement in mountain medicine education of lay mountaineers in their home countries,” said Dr. Hillebrandt.

On the agenda for the meeting:

• A review of on-going projects on drug use in the mountains and advice publications on pre-existing condition such as Diabetes.
• Increased formal cooperation with International Commission for Alpine Rescue (ICAR) Medical Commission.
• Ways to improve mountain medicine education of lay mountaineers and opportunities get health messages about altitude illness to mountain naive adventure holiday makers and gap year students who are unaware of the risks involved with rapid ascents

The UIAA Medical Commission was founded in 1981. Its history dates back to an earlier time when there were only a few doctors representing the largest mountaineering federations.

The commission has grown to include 22-delegated doctors from 18 different mountaineering federations, as well as 16 corresponding members from all over the world. The UIAA Medical Commission has worked very closely with the Medical Commission of the International Commission for Alpine Rescue (ICAR). The current presidents of the UIAA Medical commission and the MedCom ICAR are always on the advisory board of the ISMM.

Activities of the UIAA Medical Commission include its popular and comprehensive Advice and Recommendations page which provides advice and are a valuable resource for climbers and medical staff alike and regular Mountain Medicine Diploma courses.