This summer, Dr Sarah Hitchen participated in the 15th ICMM Workshop on Military Medical Ethics in Switzerland, speaking on the implications for military medical ethics of ongoing research in to the Epistemic Grey Zone, based in Security Lancaster. The International Committee of Military Medicine is an international, intergovernmental organisation, founded in 1921 which aims to enhance international cooperation in military medical practices and international health organisations across the globe.

Over 120 countries are currently members of the ICMM. The Military Medical Ethics Workshop is convened by the ICMM Centre of Reference for Education on International Humanitarian Law and Ethics in cooperation with the Medical Services Directorate of the Swiss Armed Forces and brings together experts from academia and practice across medicine, philosophy, neuroscience, law, and humanitarian organisations in order to share their experience and expertise, and to develop solutions to current challenges in military medicine.

In her plenary lecture Dr Hitchen spoke about the challenges of working in the grey zone; in particular in the areas of information and cognitive warfare. Military medics occupy a uniquely demanding role in modern conflict; shaping and enacting ethical policies and practice. Information and cognitive warfare practices directly impact the ability of individual people to reason well, and in-line with their own thinking and beliefs.

The work of the Epistemic Grey Zone project suggests that not only those targeted by these strategies, but those who must choose when and how to implement them, may suffer as a result of the choices made by themselves and others. This requires urgent attention in order to ensure that medics’ ability to choose the best actions and outcomes, as well as their own mental health do not suffer in ways which will negatively impact both medics themselves and the position of the non-combatant medic in shaping ethical doctrine and practice which they and others can stand behind as experts who serve.