Persian Gulf Veterans Coordinating Board
Action: Secretaries of Veterans Affairs, Defense, and Health and Human Services serve as co-chairs.
Purpose: To ensure interagency coordination of all efforts related to research, clinical care, and disability/compensation for illnesses associated with military service during the Persian Gulf War.
Status: Ongoing. Established January 21, 1994, with a support office staffed by DoD, VA, and HHS personnel, the Board provides continuing coordination among the three Departments on all matters related to the health consequences of military service in the Persian Gulf theater of operations. The Coordinating Board has three working groups which meet as necessary: 1) Research, 2) Clinical Care, and 3) Disability/Compensation.
Results: Manuscript published. (See Appendix)
Persian Gulf Veterans Coordinating Board. (1995) Unexplained Illnesses Among Desert Storm Veterans. Archives of Internal Medicine, 155, Feb. 13, 262-268.
Coordination: VA, DoD, and HHS.
Persian Gulf Interagency Research Coordinating Council (Research Working Group of the Persian Gulf Veterans Coordinating Board)
Action: VA, DoD, HHS, and EPA.
Purpose: VA, DoD, HHS, and EPA constitute the Persian Gulf Interagency Research Coordinating Council, which is chaired by VA. The council was established pursuant to the Persian Gulf War Veterans' Health Status Act (Title VII, Public Law 102 - 585) requirement for the President to designate a coordinator of Executive Branch research related to Persian Gulf veterans health. The Council coordinates all research activities undertaken or funded by the Executive Branch on the health consequences of military service in the Persian Gulf theater of operations. The Council now serves as the "Research Working Group" of the Persian Gulf Veterans Coordinating Board.
Status: Ongoing. The Council (working group) meets at least once a month to coordinate research activities.
Results: N/A
Coordination: VA, DoD, HHS, and EPA.
NIH Persian Gulf Experience and Health Workshop, April 1994
Action: HHS, VA, DoD, and EPA.
Purpose: A panel of nationally recognized experts in toxicology, environmental medicine, and other related disciplines was held April 27-29, 1994, at the National Institutes of Health to determine if there was enough information to establish a consensus case-definition of a "Persian Gulf Syndrome."
Status: Complete.
Results: The panel concluded that a case-definition could not be developed because "no single or multiple etiology or biological explanation for the reported symptoms [of Gulf war veterans] was identified from the data available to the panel," and "no single disease or syndrome was apparent, but rather multiple illnesses with overlapping symptoms and causes." However, the Workshop considered factors that may contribute to the etiology of the symptoms being experienced by Gulf war veterans, including infectious diseases, psychological factors, long term effects of exposure to petrochemicals, and possible exposure to other chemical and environmental hazards. The Workshop also made recommendations about future research priorities. A final report was released on June 22, 1994, which was subsequently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, with the following citation: (See Appendix)
NIH Technology Assessment Workshop Panel. (1994) The Persian Gulf Experience and Health. Journal of the American Medical Association, 272 (5), 391-395.
Coordination: VA, DoD, HHS, and EPA.
NAS Review of the Health Consequences of Service During the Persian Gulf War
Action: National Academy of Sciences (NAS), Institute of Medicine (IOM)/Medical Follow-up Agency (MFUA).
Purpose: As directed by P.L. 102-585, the NAS is reviewing existing scientific, medical and other information on the health consequences of military service in the Persian Gulf theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War. This review will also address whether there is sound scientific basis for an epidemiological study or studies on the health consequences of such service, and if there is, the nature of such a study or studies.
Status: Ongoing. A joint DoD/VA contract was awarded to the National Academy of Sciences on September 30, 1993, for the review to be conducted by the IOM/MFUA. The first meeting of the IOM "Committee to Review the Health Consequences of Service during the Persian Gulf war" was held January 20/21, 1994; a second meeting open to the public and hearing testimony from veterans and their families was held on February 28 and March 1, 1994. Four closed/executive meetings were held in April, July, and August 1994, and in January, 1995.
Results: Interim Report:
Health Consequences of Service During the Persian Gulf War: Initial Findings and Recommendations for Immediate Action. Committee to Review the Health Consequences of Service During the Persian Gulf War. Medical Follow-up Agency; Institute of Medicine. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, (1995).
Coordination: Private, non-profit, independent review by IOM.