[ RadSafe ] BBC reports There is no single cause for Gulf War illness, researchers have concluded

[Fred Dawson]

BBC reports There is no single cause for Gulf War illness, researchers have 
concluded.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4839036.stm

The journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society has published 16 
papers outlining research into possible causes, such as exposure to 
chemicals.

Researchers say effects on servicemen's health have been seen, but there is 
no direct scientific link between serving in the 1991 Gulf War and a 
syndrome.

But the National Gulf War Veterans and Family Association said a series of 
medical disasters had caused illness.

In a commentary in the journal, Professor Simon Wessely, co-director of 
Kings College Centre for Military Health Research and guest editor of the 
special issue of the journal, said one of the papers it included showed the 
term Gulf War Syndrome was a "misnomer".

"No new illness or symptom cluster unique to Gulf War veterans has been 
identified."

One paper in the journal looks at exposure to depleted uranium - which has 
been singled out by veterans' groups as a potential cause of ill-health.

The research looks at soldiers directly exposed to DU in "friendly fire" 
incidents.

But despite this exposure, there was no evidence of kidney damage, which the 
journal states would be the most likely effect.

"There is little value in conducting further research into the causes "
Professor Simon Wessely, Institute of Psychiatry

Vaccine regime

Papers also suggest there is no "credible evidence" linking exposure to 
pesticides or nerve agents such as sarin, directly to ill health.

But the researchers do suggest the health concerns related to the Gulf War 
could improve the way soldiers are monitored before, during and after future 
conflicts to minimise the impact of war on health.

Professor Wessely said: "An enormous amount of money and effort have been 
expended on understanding Gulf War Illnesses worldwide.

"These reviews make it clear that there is no single cause, rather there are 
a range of factors likely to be responsible.

"There is little value in conducting further research into the causes.

"We should now focus our resources on rehabilitating those people who are 
ill as a result of service in the Gulf War."

But Shaun Rusling, of the National Gulf Veterans and Families Association, 
said: "We, the ill veterans, have never claimed a single cause to our ill 
health but a number of serious medical disasters starting with a secret 
vaccine regime and multiple vaccinations, with childhood whooping cough 
given with each anthrax vaccine to boost the immune system causing 
autoimmune type diseases."

Veterans Minister Don Touhig said: "This publication is a significant 
landmark in the field of research into Gulf War illnesses and is welcomed by 
the Ministry of Defence.

"It confirms that there is no straightforward explanation of ill-health 
experienced by some Gulf veterans and that it cannot be solely attributed to 
toxic chemicals, depleted uranium, organophosphates or medical 
counter-measures."

"Professor Wessely is absolutely correct when he says we should now look to 
the future and focus our resources on rehabilitating Gulf War veterans who 
are ill."



Fred Dawson
fwp_dawson at hotmail.com