[5] In September 2006, the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, itself awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985, adopted a proposal at its biennial congress in Helsinki, Finland, to launch ICAN globally.

[7] Akira Kawasaki (President), Clara Levin (Treasurer) and Rebecca Johnson (Secretary) are responsible for the Swiss-registered non-profit association of ICAN as of 2021.

A number of prominent individuals have lent their support to the campaign, including Nobel Peace Prize laureates Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama and Jody Williams, the musician Herbie Hancock, the cricket journalist and former player Ian Chappell,[25] the actors Martin Sheen and Michael Douglas, and the artist Yoko Ono.

In November 2012, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, praised ICAN and its partners "for working with such commitment and creativity in pursuit of our shared goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world".

[29]The Economist expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of ICAN's nuclear-ban treaty, arguing that it was unlikely to advance global peace due to its rejection by the world's nuclear powers.