Introduction

ASPIS started as a European program in 1993 and has completed a series of actions, aiming in providing information and increasing the sensitivity of people that are responsible for taking decisions about environmental issues (public servants, engineers, doctors, lawyers and journalists).

ASPIS has evolved into a decision-taking subject based on TRans European Environmental Educational Health Network (TREEE Health Net). This network was founded in 1994 and was an idea of the National Kapodistrian University of Athens and the University of Liverpool, UK, and from 1996 and after, of the University of Brussels.

In 1997, ASPIS became an official project of the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA) and continues like that until today. It is the IFMSA-project that has lasted the most.

2 coordinators for the project are elected every year from HelMSIC, so that the project is represented towards IFMSA. The scientific coordinator of ASPIS is Mrs. P. Nicolopoulou-Stamati, Ass. Professor of Environmental Pathology of the University of Athens.

ASPIS has the following aims:

• Collection, Evaluation and Propagation of all information concerning the effect of the environmental pollution on human health.
• Propagation and Explanation of that information to the people that are responsible for taking decisions about these issues.
• Training of all Health employees who through participation in public organizations take part in decision-making, concerning environmental issues.
• Dissemination of information through direct contact, exchange of ideas and opinions between people who are implicated in environmental issues that have an effect in human health.
• Progress of continuous and life-lasting education, as well as tele-education.

ASPIS has opened a new activity with a 3-year schedule, called ARHENA (Awareness Raising on Environmental Health among Non-expert Advisors). Many countries participate in that activity (United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Chech Republic, Romania, Bulgaria). Information about diseases linked to environmental factors are gathered from all participating countries and are placed in a specially designed database. Information from databases that already exist will be linked to the ARHENA-database. In conclusion, ARHENA organizes three (3) lectures, one every year, with the following topics: for the year 2003 Mobility and Pollution, for the year 2004 Environmental Impact on Fertility and for the year 2005 Congenital Diseases related to Pollution.

In the following pages you may find more information about the past activities and present & future activities of ASPIS/AREHNA project.

More info: www.arehna.di.uoa.gr