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Extinction Medicine
Articles on Extinction Medicine
Why Should Extinction Medicine Be a Specialty? This article expands on the arguments for "extinction medicine" in the context of the literature on climate change and health. It lays out 11 competencies in four domains for future extinction medicine specialists. Actionable steps for creating the specialty are also put forth.
Extinction Medicine: The Case for a New Medical Specialty. This pre-print, co-authored with Émile P. Torres, provides a brief 10-point overview of the arguments for "extinction medicine" (currently being revised).
On the Way to Extinction Medicine. This invited essay in The Oslerian provides a brief history of the idea of "extinction medicine." It was written following a presentation on the concept at the 54th American Osler Society Annual Meeting.
Videos on Extinction Medicine
Podcasts on Extinction Medicine
Extinction medicine is a future specialty with the mission of managing the risk of human extinction while minimizing social harm. This page collates the three articles most directly related to making the case for the specialty's development, a recent International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) webinar including a presentation on the concept (1:05:25 - 1:12:11), and two related podcasts.
If you're interested in working on extinction medicine or learning more, you can get involved by joining the Extinction Medicine Reading Group, a monthly, online reading group on the science, ethics, and medicalization of human extinction. It is an initiative of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) Medical Student Movement that started in September 2025. A dedicated website is in progress, but for now you can sign up here.
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