Newsletter 160
==============
It was National Conference this weekend for anyone who failed to
notice. Much fun and jolliment was had by all, and from it came some
great actions. My favorite bit was the Ceilidh - any more coming up,
let me know and I'll be there!

Quote of the weekend: I'm not addicted to pringles, so I doubt I'd
ever be addicted to flavoured condoms.

Thanks to the Conference Team for all your hard work, and the great
goodie bags we came away with.

As usual, make sure you send news to us [1] by Friday to be included
in the newsletter on Monday or Tuesday. You can read the fancy version
of the newsletter here [2].

[1] mailto:n...@medsin.org
[2] http://www.medsin.org/newsletter/160

Action of the week
-------------------
Save our NHS demo, 3rd of November in London.

The NHS is under attack. Its founding principles of free health care
for all are being scrapped for a business model of health care for
profit. We all need the NHS, as an employer or as a patient. We know
the public supports the NHS in a big way, so lets make sure the
government knows this! This is our chance to stand up for what we
believe in and demand the end to cut backs and privatisation. Lets not
be the generation that stood there and watched while the NHS was
destroyed.

This demo has been called by NHS Together (a coalition of public
service unions) and Keep Our NHS Public, with diverse support
including Health Emergency, local health action groups and the BMA.

Students will be meeting outside Temple station (Victoria embankment)
at 10.45am. If you are up for a bit of fun, then come dressed as
doctors & nurses. Look out for the Medsin (health care student
campaign group) banner.

Posters, badges and presentations are available for advertising the
demo, just email me [1] and let us know if you are coming.

Lets make this huge! Pete, Campaigns Director.

[1] mailto:campai...@medsin.org

National News and Events
------------------------

* AB Newsletter
* Climate Change
* Defend Access to Healthcare for Vulnerable Migrants

Other stuff:
* UAEM Talks
* Control BAE Speaker Tour
* Sexball
* STAR Conference
* Pharmageddon

Anything Else
-------------
* Wanted: Partners in Health Volunteers on Arcade Fire European Tour.
* Climate Change and Health conference series
* Wealth, Health and Happiness
* 3rd Alma Mata Conference

Of the Month
--------------

* Project focus: Marrow, a trans-national project

Website and News
----------------

The website is for YOUR events being held by YOUR branches, projects
and campaigns. It is really, really easy to submit events and news, so
please do, and let everyone know what wonderful things you are up to!

National News and Events
========================

AB Newsletter
------------------
The first issue of the Activities Board newsletter is now available on-
line here [1]. Hope you enjoy hearing about all the fantastic things
Medsin Projects and Campaigns have been doing.
Emily, VP Projects.

[1] http://www.medsin.org/abchat

Climate Change
----------------
The theme of this year's National Conference was 'Population and
Health', organised by Medsin Dundee. One of the plenary titles
addressed the important issues of Food and Environment and highlighted
the need for individuals and communities to take action to stop
climate change and minimise its impact on developing countries.

Medsin members signed a giant banner reading 'Dont let our carbon
footprint trample on health' with their footprints and participated in
a group photo with a list of demands to government, world leaders,
individuals and healthcare professionals. To read the full list of
demands signed by members, please go here [1] Dr Robin Stott of Medact
supported these claims and congratulated Medsin members on their
action on this issue.

To read more about Medsin's campaigning on climate change and to see
photos of this weekend's action see the Healthy Planet webpage. [2]

[1] http://www.medsin.org/news/show/208
[2] http://www.medsin.org/campaigns/healthyplanet

Defend Access to Healthcare for Vulnerable Migrants
------------------------------------------
This weekend student's at Medsin's Annual National Conference opposed
restrictions on access to primary healthcare for vulnerable migrants.

There was widespread concern among delegates about the ongoing
government review of access to NHS services, due to report in
December. It is expected to propose removing access to primary care
services from undocumented migrants, victims of trafficking and failed
asylum seekers.

Hundreds of delegates signed a statement to the Department of Health,
directly opposing these changes and demanding universal access to
primary healthcare, free at the point of access in line with NHS
founding principles. Furthermore, this contradicts the UK's
obligations to uphold health as a human right.

The government have suggested we deliberately run people's health down
until they are forced from the country. Meanwhile, the GMC Duties of a
Doctor state that doctors should make the care of the patient their
first concern. They cannot be expected to act as immigration
officers.  The NHS benefits from thousands of doctors and nurses from
overseas. The government have admitted health tourism occurs at very
low levels and primary care is relatively cheap. Failing to manage
disease in primary care will mean the NHS treats more preventable
disease in A&E at much greater expense. Members asked the government
to look at the evidence and reconsider.

See the Defend Primary Healthcare webpage [1] for more information and
see the GHAP page [2] for photos of the actions.

There's loads you can do to help take this campaign further - please
get in touch with Tom [3]and join the mailing list [4] on this issue.

[1]http://www.medsin.org/defendprimaryhealthcare
[2] http://www.medsin.org/projects/ghap
[3] mailto: dontcensor...@gmail.com
[4] http://groups.google.com/group/ghap-asylum?hl=en

UEAM Talks
---------------
Universities Allied for Essential Medicines has a two-fold mission:

* To determine how universities can help ensure that biomedical end
products, such as drugs, are made more accessible in poor countries
and
* To increase the amount of research conducted on neglected diseases,
or those diseases predominantly affecting people who are too poor to
constitute a market attractive to private-sector R&D investment.

We are delighted to announce that on Monday 19th and Tuesday 20th
November Ethan Guillen, Executive Director of UAEM, will be visiting
the UK to talk about the work and success of UAEM in America, and how
to start a UAEM chapter at your university.

Monday 19th November  -
Where: University of Edinburgh, LT1 Appleton Tower, Main Campus.
When: 7pm.
Tuesday 20th November -  Where: London (venue tbc). When: tbc.

For more information please visit our website [1]  or contact us. [2]

[1] http://www.essentialmedicine.org/
[2] mailto:vanessajes...@msn.com

Control BAE Speaker Tour
-------------------------------
* Thurs 1st Nov - Norwich
* Mon 5th Nov - Birmingham
* Wed 7th Nov - Cardiff
* Thurs 8th Nov - Chichester
* Tues 13th Nov - Hull
* Wed 14th Nov - Sheffield
* Thurs 15th Nov - Manchester
* Wed 28th Nov - Edinburgh
* Thurs 29th Nov - Newcastle

The talks are organized by the Campaign against the Arms Trade" as
part of their "Control BAE" campaign.  This campaign is looking to
expose some of the business dealings of this arms company and keep up
the pressure on the Government to reopen the Serious Fraud Office
enquiry into the massive Al-Yamamah arms deal with Saudi Arabia.

The talks will look at the impact of the arms trade and corruption on
development and human rights.

Details of times and venues can be found here [1]

If you are interested in getting involved in Medsin's Arms Trade
campaign please let us know.  Our address in armstr...@medsin.org

Nick and Jen
Arms Trade Co-Ordinators

[1] http://www.caat.org.uk/events/november_tour.php

SEXBALL - 24th November, Birmingham
----------------------------------------
Sexpression will be hosting an afternoon of great speakers on sexual
and maternal health globally at Birmingham Medical School. We have
speakers lined up to talk on everything from Female Genital Mutilation
to HIV/AIDS.

This interesting afternoon will be followed by a evening of
Sexpression fun! The evening starts with a champagne reception
followed by 3 course dinner and disco. Dress code is black tie with a
splash of red with World AIDS Day collections throughout the night.

Tickets are £35 for all of this. For more information or to buy your
tickets contact Emily [1]

[1] mailto:coordina...@sexpression.co.uk

STAR conference
-------------------
The 10th national conference hosted by Student Action for Refugees
(STAR) is taking place 10th-11th November 2007 at the Human Rights
Action Centre in Shoreditch, Central London.

The only conference for students and young people on refugee issues,
this year's line up features an impressive array of contributors from
notable organisations such as the Refugee Council, UNHCR, Amnesty and
the Medical Foundation. In addition, there will be speakers ranging
from MPs and journalists to writers and refugees with personal
experiences to share, as well as workshops, a Question Time panel and
a lively party with live music and DJs to celebrate the fact that this
is our tenth conference.

STAR Conference is open to anyone aged 16-25. It costs just £25, which
includes the full weekend Conference programme, all food, crashpad
accommodation on Saturday night and free admission to the legendary
STAR party. We have a limited number of bursaries for those who can't
afford the Conference fee, and anyone with a refugee experience is
welcome for free.

To take part in Conference or for more information, visit our website
[1], email us [2] or call 020 7840 4443.

[1] www.star-network.org.uk
[2] mailto:confere...@star-network.org.uk

Pharmageddon
---------------
Health Action International are running a project called Pharmaggedon
at the moment. There's 8x £1000 (maybe about to rise to £5000 for
1st!) prizes available for submitting an abstract of 350 words on the
concept of Pharmageddon:

"Pharmageddon? Is a hypothesis. Pharmageddon? describes "the prospect
of a world in which medicines and medicine produce more ill-health
than health, and when medical progress does more harm than good".

Click here [1] for more information.

[1] http://www.haiweb.org/indexPharmageddon.html

Anything Else?
===============
The following aren't affilliated in any way with Medsin, but we
thought you might be interested.

Urgent request for Partners in Health Volunteers on Arcade Fire
European Tour.
-------------------------------------

Arcade Fire are supporting the work of Partners in Health (PIH)
throughout their European tour. They are looking for volunteers to
help raise awareness of Partners in Health at all their European Gigs.
You get Free entry to the gig of you volunteer. Please email
cham...@pih.org With "Arcade Fire and (city name)" if you could help
out at any of the following shows.
Volunteering entails: showing up before doors open, collecting
donations for PIH, passing out Arcade Fire/PIH posters, and spreading
awareness about the work of Partners In Health and our connection with
Arcade Fire. Each volunteer gets FREE entry to the show.

Tour Cities and Dates:
November:
* 17th London, England - Alexandra Palace
* 18th London, England - Alexandra Palace
* 19th London, England - Alexandra Palace

Conference Series: Climate Change and Health at the Royal Society of
Medicine, London
--------------------------------------

There is now overwhelming evidence that global warming is rapidly
progressing, and major climate changes are already being experienced
in many parts of the world. This series of evening meetings at the
Royal Society of Medicine aims to examine and forecast the effects on
human health, with the intention of increasing awareness of the
serious threat to our planet.

The series includes the following meetings:
* Monday 12 November 2007 - Global warming and food production: will
we starve?
* Monday 26 November 2007 - Action for the health consequences of
climate change

All meetings are from 5:45 pm - 8:00 pm
Special block booking rates are available for attending all 4 meetings

For more information and to register online please visit us here [1]
or contact Sinem Gocmen [2][3]

[1] http://www.rsm.ac.uk/diar/diary.php
[2] Tel: 020 7290 3856 fax: 020 7290 2989 [3]
mailto:sinem.goc...@rsm.ac.uk.

Wealth, Health and Happiness
--------------------------------
A Public Event, Everyone Welcome, Admission £5 (on the day)
at Friends House, 173 Euston Road NW1 2BJ

On Saturday, 10th  November 2007 (2-5pm including refreshments)
with Richard Laylard, author, Happiness - Lessons from a new Science
and Richard Wilkinson, author, The Impact of Inequality)

3rd Alma Mata Conference
------------------------
Global Health Directions 3: Commercialisation and Health

Alma Mata Global Health Conference and International Health Careers
Fair

Saturday 24th & 25th November 2007
UCL Institute of Child Health, London

Tickets are now available online for the third Alma Mata conference
and International Health Careers Fair!

Interested in a career in global health?
Join us for a weekend of world class speakers and workshops discussing
major global health issues, followed by our first International Health
Careers Fair. Please visit the conference website [1] or see the
medsin site [2] for more details.

[1] http://www.almamata.net/conference
[2] http://www.medsin.org/events/show/100

Of the Month
=================
Project focus: Marrow: A Trans-national Project
------------------------------------------At the 57th IFMSA General
Assembly held this summer in Canterbury, UK, Marrow was awarded trans-
national project status.  This was the culmination of several years of
hard work by different national Marrow co-ordinators and members of
the Medsin national committee.   Acquiring trans-national status means
that Marrow, a project that has existed in the UK for the past 10
years, is now internationally recognised by IFMSA affiliated national
member organisations.  This will undoubtedly be beneficial in helping
to establish Marrow in other countries around the world.

Marrow was created in 1998 by medical students from Nottingham
University.  It has since grown to become one of Medsin's biggest
projects, with branches in every UK medical school and some overseas
institutions.  In 2006 it won the IFMSA's Rex Crossley Award for best
international project.  An application for trans-national status was
first proposed in 2005 by the then national committee.  The
application included detailed explanations of what Marrow aims to
achieve and the means by which will go about this, the setting and
discussion of a ten year plan, including long and short term
objectives and support for overseas groups.

Following several re-submissions over the past two years, each time
after improving on previous criticisms from the project proposals
review committee, trans-national status was finally granted this year.

Mark Prince
National Co-ordinator