A report released concluded that Gulf War Syndrome is a
legitimate condition suffered by more than 175,000 US war veterans
who were exposed to chemical toxins in the 1991 Gulf War.
The congressionally mandated report could help veterans who have
battled the government for treatment of a wide range of unexplained
neurological illnesses, from brain cancer to multiple
sclerosis.
The Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses
concluded that Gulf War Syndrome is a physical condition distinct
from the mental shell shock suffered by veterans in other wars.
Some earlier studies had concluded it was not a distinct
illness.
"Scientific evidence leaves no question that Gulf War illness is a
real condition with real causes and serious consequences for
affected veterans," said the committee, which has been looking into
the problem since 2002.
The committee, composed of independent scientists and veterans,
said Congress should boost funding for research on Gulf War
veterans' health to at least $60 million per year.
"This is a national obligation, made especially urgent by the many
years that Gulf War veterans have waited for answers and
assistance," the committee said.
Congress set up the committee in 1998, but the US Veterans
Administration did not appoint anyone to serve on it until
2002.
Gulf War Syndrome affects at least one-fourth of the 700,000 US
troops who served in the 1991 effort to drive Iraq out of Kuwait,
or between 175,000 and 210,000 veterans in all, the report
found.
Few have seen their symptoms improve over the past 17 years, the
report said.
Symptoms include persistent headaches, widespread pain, cognitive
difficulties, unexplained fatigue, skin rashes, chronic diarrhoea
and digestive and respiratory problems.
Many Gulf War veterans suffering these symptoms say they met with
scepticism when seeking treatment.
The panel found two possible causes: a drug given to troops to
protect against nerve gas, known as pyridostigmine bromide, and
pesticides that were used heavily during the war.
The panel said other possible causes could not be ruled out,
including extensive exposure to smoke from oil-well fires and
low-level exposure to sarin gas when captured Iraqi stocks were
destroyed.
The US government has spent roughly $440 million on Gulf War
health research since 1994, but spending has declined in recent
years and often is not focused on improving veterans' health, the
committee said.
The report further highlighted inadequacies in the medical care
veterans have received from their government.
A 2007 investigation by the Washington Post found combat veterans
in the current Iraq war faced rodent-infested housing and
bureaucratic hurdles as they sought treatment at the Walter Reed
Army Medical Center, the flagship military hospital in Washington
DC.
