Medical Geology: Emerging Discipline on the Ecosystem?Human Health Interface

Abstract

Medical geology is an emerging discipline that, broadly defined, examines the public health impacts of geologic materials and geologic processes. The scope and range of medical geology include: (1) identifying and characterizing natural and anthropogenic sources of harmful materials in the environment; (2) learning how to predict the movement and alteration of chemical, infectious, and other disease-causing agents over time and space; and (3) understanding how people are exposed to such materials and what can be done to minimize or prevent such exposure. Participants of a Medical Geology Working Group that met recently in Washington, DC, identified lessons learned to date in the development of this new field, noted research gaps that should be addressed, and recommended key priorities and directions for a sustainable future for medical geology.