Mountain Medical Papers

The UIAA Medical Commission produces comprehensive recommendation papers, translated into several languages, which act as a valuable resource for climbers and medical staff alike. An emphasis is put on health problems that only occur at high altitude. Among the issues included are acute mountain sickness, nutrition, water disinfection and drug use and misuse in mountaineering.

The recommendations are pertinent particularly for charity and gap year treks, expeditions, challenges and adventure holidays. Many are very well run but there are still too many who offer unsafe ascent profiles guaranteeing illness and some who have little or no mountain medicine training for their leaders. Many people who undertake these trips are mountain naïve and do not know how to access medically-based advice. Every year, the UIAA Medical Commission is aware of unnecessary injuries and deaths often as a result of poor leadership and planning. The advice provided in these documents is ultimately designed to help prevent injury and save lives.