This conference was held to alert physicians worldwide of the mortal peril of nuclear war to public health, with the hope that they will help educate their communities about the effects of nuclear war. Summary papers prepared during the conference include: medical consequences of nuclear war with special reference to Europe--immediate problems for medical services, medical problems for post-attack situation (days 4-60), long-term problems of survival; unquantified effects on the biosphere; arms race and implications for world health; medical "planning" related to nuclear war; role and effectiveness of civil defense in nuclear war; psychological problems of human fallibility in military-political organizations; psychological mechanisms of denial and stereotyping of adversaries: their role in acceptance of nuclear weapons; role of physicians and their national organizations in preventing nuclear war; role of International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War; and medical student proposal to the conference. In addition, public appeals to prevent nuclear war are made to Ronald Reagan, Leonid Brezhnev, delegates to the 25th session of the World Health Assembly, and to United Nations Second Special Session on Disarmament. (JN)