Memorandum 59
Submission from Dr Ben Douglas
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. I am a General Practitioner with a dedicated
interest in space medicine, and a high awareness of the benefits
to be gained from a thriving space biomedical research community
in the UK. However, UK opposition to human space activities means
that there are currently no opportunities for space medical education
or research in this country. I have incurred significant financial
penalties developing my expertise in this rapidly developing field
of medical science, and if the UK situation remains unchanged
then it seems inevitable that I will have to emigrate to pursue
my vocation.
2. UK opposition to human space activities
is inherently counter-productive. There are a broad spectrum of
benefits to be gained from involvement in these activities, including:
scientific and technological advances, consequent improved economic
returns, cultural and political gains, and educational benefits.
Detailed Submission
3. I am a General Practitioner currently
working in central London. I studied medicine at the University
of Aberdeen, and it was in 1996 that I developed my passionate
interest in space medicine. During a third year summer research
project in diving medicine I discovered a research paper discussing
the rationale for a decompression sickness treatment facility
on a Moon base. This caught my attention, and led to me undertaking
my final year Elective at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) Kennedy Space Center (KSC).
4. I was the first non-US citizen to directly
apply to the KSC Medical Student Education Program run by the
Biomedical Office (two previous UK nationals had attended the
KSC rotation after originally attending other NASA centres). After
six months of deliberations, KSC approved my application, and
opened their rotation to international applicants. The rotation
provides the opportunity to study an advanced field of medical
science at an international centre of excellence. It is therefore
no surprise that it has become an extremely popular Elective for
UK medical students, and there is stiff competition for places
and a very high standard of applicants.
5. From a personal perspective, attending
KSC was invaluable. In addition to expert tuition on space medicine
topics, observing operational space medicine, and undertaking
original research into the medical challenges of a human Mars
mission, I was also fortunate enough to witness an entire Space
Shuttle mission (STS-96) from launch to landing, and to speak
to the astronauts afterwards (one of whom was a medical doctor
and had featured in the BBC documentary "Astronauts"
and another of whom subsequently died in the Columbia disaster).
The experience was profoundly inspiring, and increased my awareness
of the multitude of ways that human space exploration and space
medicine are beneficial on Earth.
6. After graduating I undertook a self-constructed
GP training rotation throughout Scotland, and obtained Membership
of the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP). Despite
my continued dedication to space medicine, UK opposition to human
space activities has severely impaired my ability to develop my
expertise in this specialty. Due to the complete absence of space
medicine qualifications in the UK (or the ability to be funded
to study abroad, as the Japanese are) I am limited to obtaining
an aviation medicine qualification or pursuing another field of
space science research, either of which I have to self-fund (at
considerable cost) by working evenings and weekends as a GP. Despite
the fact that I would rather remain in the UK, the total lack
of postgraduate positions or research opportunities for space
medicine in the UK means that I will inevitably have to consider
emigrating if the situation remains unchanged.
7. It seems completely ridiculous that space
medicine, which is a respected specialty internationally, is treated
with a parochial disdain in the UK. Indeed, no other specialty
is so utterly unsupported, completely denied research opportunities,
or demands that its practitioners pay such a financial penalty
to progress in their career. With a view to my UK colleagues (such
as the members of the UK Space Biomedicine Group) it is very clear
that this situation cannot continue indefinitely. Their options,
like mine, are limited to abandoning space medicine or emigrating
in the near future.
8. With regard to human space activities,
some of the main benefits to be gained lie in the field of space
physiology and medicine (such as improved understanding and treatment
of osteoporosis, radiation protection, and immunology) but these
health advances will only occur if there is a sufficiently mature
space medical research infrastructure to investigate them. The
UK has a strong health research base, yet the UK's expertise in
this area is at risk of collapse due to lack of support.
9. It seems ironic that the UK has a strong
tradition of supporting both scientific and exploration ventures,
and currently spends several billion pounds on science (never
mind healthcare and education) each year, including Antarctic
research (which is analogous in many ways to space exploration)
but does not recognise the dramatic potential of human space exploration.
10. Current UK space policy intends to review
the human aspects of the ESA Aurora programme at some point
in the future, but this approach is fundamentally unsound. Other
international partners are developing their infrastructures (including
space medicine) now, and if the UK persists in this detrimental
course of action then it is likely that the UK will not have the
capability to play any significant role in the human aspects of
Aurora. This would be of severe consequence to the UK,
both in terms of a further decline in UK science and negative
cultural impact.
11. It is interesting to view the argument
without mention of the word "space": here is a situation
where there is an important field of science with far-reaching
implications for human health and the understanding of the fundamental
questions of how the solar system developed and where life itself
originated, and yet the UK is utterly disinterested. Furthermore,
British scientists are being actively excluded from joining the
world in this important field of science, despite the desperate
need to recruit and retain scientists in the UK. When presented
in this way, it is clear that the UK position is absurd.
12. In summary, it is my sincere belief
that space medicine, and indeed human space activities, have much
to offer the United Kingdom. It is time to discard the traditional
short-sighted and irrational prejudices, and comprehend the opportunities,
before we are permanently left behind by the rest of the unfettered
international community.
October 2006
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