The meeting was called to order by the Chairman, Dr. Olle Selinus.

Welcoming remarks by Dr. Selinus

Dr Harwant Singh offered to take notes of the meeting.

Dr. Finkelman presented a Book Prize to Ms. Preetika Sinh for best presentation by a young scientist at the medical geology session.

Dr. Finkelman addressed the meeting on the following items:

1. Attendance Sheets were circulated for signatures of those present.
2. Background information on the current situation with regard to Medical Geology in the U.S. and the USGS.

1. Acceptance of Medical Geology by the USGS: delay due not to lack of recognition of its importance but because it has been viewed as being outside the scope of geological work.
2. Various organisations are now looking at the interaction between natural environment and health
3. Geological Society of America is becoming involved with Medical Geology

Dr. Centeno addressed the meeting concerning developments in the Medical Field, namely,

1. Medical Geology Registry
2. Conferences, symposia etc.
3. Publications etc.
4. Involvement of medical schools

Dr. Derbyshire commented on the following matters:

1. IGCP Project#454
2. International Year of the Planet Earth. Earth and Health will be one theme of this UN initiative.
3. 10^th International Conference on Occupational Medicine in Beijing, China, 19-22 April, 2005 [see website: http://www.icord2005.com]

Dr. Selinus addressed the meeting on:

1. Involvement of Medical Geology in the 10^th International Conference on Occupational Medicine in Beijing, China
2. The books published on Medical Geology. The book Essentials of Medical Geology will be published in October 2004. A proof copy of the book was presented at the meeting. Some of the book authors were present at the meeting.

Dr. Selinus then invited questions and comments

Question 1: Is there duplication of efforts with the Society of Environmental Geochemistry and Health

Answer: No because Medical Geology has a wider scope.

Question 2: As Environmental Geology is not attracting students will Medical Geology, described as a sub-discipline, succeed in doing so?

Answer 1: There is demand for Medical Geology and efforts are being made to provide support for the development of a curriculum to convince those concerned that it is a legitimate area of study.

Answer 2: It is a matter of convincing people of its importance. The book to be published in October is waited for by several universities.

Question 3: Lack of clarity regarding the meaning of Medical Geology (curing diseases or causing diseases, or both?).

Answer: Knowledge of the cause leads to the cure. The scope of Medical Geology can clearly be determined from the publications on Medical Geology.

Comments:

1. A lot of work has been done in the developing countries. It is necessary to collate all the information and create Regional Bibliographies.
2. Links will have to be established with governmental institutions for such efforts to succeed

Dr. Selinus

1. Expressed his thanks for the questions and comments.
2. Declared that the successful IGCP#454 Project will soon come to an end.

1. Explained that, for the initiative to go forward, some sort of a mechanism such as a formal Association will be required. He explained that "the ball has already been set rolling" by the appointment of 6 Councilors to report back on various aspects involved in establishing such an Association.

Dr. Selinus

1. Thanked the attendees for the Mandate
2. Described suggested committees to carry out work on statutes, memberships, publications, education, slate of candidates etc. These committees will report their work and their suggestions in good time before September 2005.
3. Mentioned Elsevier’s offer of a Journal of Medical Geology but said that this will be one of the topics to be studied by the committees of the association.
4. Mentioned that the website will report all activities further on. The results of the committees work and other matters will be published on the website. Therefore everyone was encouraged to check the website regularly.
5. Invited comments from the floor

Comment by Prof. John Farmer:

Dr. Selinus mentioned the following items:

1. the constraints on the conducting of Short Courses and the need to devise ways to improve this situation;
2. the need to form committees and to call for suggestions on the composition of these committees

Dr. Finkelman

1. thanked the Attendees for the Mandate
2. requested advice, guidance, recommendations and suggestions regarding the new Association