About IAMAT

IAMAT is a non-profit membership organization. Since its founding in 1960, IAMAT has been a leader in the field of travel medicine, advising travellers about health risks, the geographical distribution of diseases, immunization requirements, sanitary conditions of water, milk and food, and environmental and climatic conditions around the world.

IAMAT maintains a network of physicians - general practitioners and specialists, hospitals and clinics around the world - who have agreed to treat IAMAT members in need of medical care during their journey. Our aim is to make competent care available to travellers anywhere in the world, even in very remote locations, by doctors who speak English and have had medical training in North America or Europe. IAMAT continuously inspects clinics in an attempt to ensure that travellers receive competent medical care.

Any individual traveller can belong to IAMAT. There is no charge for membership, although a donation is appreciated to help support and expand IAMAT's work. For company membership conditions, please contact IAMAT.

IAMAT's History

Over forty years ago, Dr. Vincenzo Marcolongo founded the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). The incident that inspired Dr. Marcolongo to create IAMAT occurred in Italy when a Canadian woman touring Europe was referred to him by a non-English-speaking physician. She was suffering from general weakness and a high temperature. Fortunately, having interned in Canada and being familiar with the English language, Dr. Marcolongo discovered the cause of her illness - a few weeks earlier she had been prescribed an aspirin-like drug, at that time commonly dispensed in Europe as a painkiller. While it is harmless to Latins, the medication may destroy the white blood cells of those of Anglo-Saxon descent. An intensive treatment program, including blood transfusions, stabilized her condition and the patient fully recovered.

Had Dr. Marcolongo not trained in North America, his prescription would have been identical to that of the physician who originally treated the patient. In an era of increasing international travel, he felt there must be thousands of travellers facing similar situations. To this end, he contacted hundreds of English-speaking doctors of all nationalities who were trained according to western medical standards, and coordinated their services into IAMAT.

From the outset, IAMAT's goal was to coordinate medical services worldwide for travellers and to prepare them for their journey. Dr. Marcolongo felt that this information should be available at no cost to travellers. We are proud that the voluntary support from our members allows us to continue with our research and distribution of information in the spirit of generosity and dedication of its Founder.

Message from the Founder

Dr. Vincenzo Marcolongo made the medical needs of travellers his life's work. Why do participating physicians agree to be part of IAMAT? Dr. Marcolongo's vision of IAMAT's work provides insight into their motivation:

When the relations of men are expressed in terms of cooperation and human endeavour, we become conscious and deeply aware that we belong to each other.
With the progress of technology, and the consequent increase in communications, people are no longer confined within the boundaries of their own country. In view of the medical aspects involved in travel, it was obvious that an active cooperation among physicians throughout the world was required. In 1960, we coordinated the services of doctors into the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers. Distinguished physicians and respected medical institutions, with a sense of solidarity which makes them like one family, are now working in harmony to assist the traveller who my require medical assistance in his journey.
The international nature of travel demands closer relationships of mutual collaboration. In the era which the human family is now entering, we must overcome the barriers that still divide us. To decipher these signs of the times is to add a new dimension to one's mind. The need for peace and understanding between the peoples of the world has never been as great as now. Peace can come only with understanding, and travel is an important means of acquiring it.
It is, however, only through the full consciousness of "the essence of the human" that we shall be able to open the difficult paths of international relationships. As a traveller you have an excellent opportunity to serve your country and the world in creating ties of friendship. To you, therefore, we bring this message, a message sparked with beauty all its own: "The search for the human".