Doctors Without Borders, Fr. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), international organization that provides emergency medical assistance to people suffering from a natural or societal disaster, such as an earthquake, disease epidemic, or war. MSF was founded (1971) by a group of French doctors who felt that much international aid was often medically inadequate and too easily obstructed by legal obstacles. The group now has more than 2,000 persons providing medical care in 80 countries; MSF personnel also seek to focus media attention on problems and injustices in the areas where they serve. The organization was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.
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