90 



We would also like to describe our direct and indirect relationships with 

 other international initiatives, and in particular, the International Arctic 

 Science Committee and the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program of the so- 

 called Finnish Initiative. 



BISTORT 



As early as the 1960's, medical scientists have been collaborating on 

 Arctic medical research activities. Dr. Earl Albrecht, as Commissioner of Health 

 for the Territory of Alaska from 1945 to 1956, envisioned an International Union 

 for Circumpolar Health. 



In 1967 Dr. Albrecht initiated the first circumpolar symposium, which took 

 place in Fairbanks, Alaska. Participants came from the United States/Alaska, 

 Canada, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Greenland, Iceland, Finland and the (former) 

 USSR. The 1967 participants decided to hold an International Congress on 

 Circumpolar Health every three years. 



Finally, In 1981 the lUCH was founded at the meeting of the 5th 

 International Congress on Circumpolar Health in Copenhagen, Denmark. In May 1986 

 the first lUCH Constitution was drafted and adopted. 



The lUCH is now an official, formal non- governmental organization. The 

 subsequent activities of the lUCH and its "adhering bodies" have been able to 

 provide an important and useful exchange of Arctic medical research and problems 

 that has been beneficial to people worldwide. Because of the international 

 nature of our work, we cooperate closely with other international organizations 

 such as the World Health Organization, the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, the 

 International Arctic Science Committee, and the International Council of 

 Scientific Unions. 



