Wednesday, October 20, 1999

BBC News

MoD cool on Gulf syndrome report
Oil smoke is thought to have contributed to illnesses

The Ministry of Defence is investigating a US report into the causes of Gulf War Syndrome.

The study for the Pentagon has concluded that pyriostigimine bromide, given to troops in Operation Desert Storm to protect them against nerve gas, could not be ruled out as a cause of illness.

Thousands of British and US veterans complain they suffer from Gulf War Syndrome - with symptoms ranging from flu to chronic fatigue and asthma - because they were given pyriostigimine bromide.

However, the MoD said the report did not support claims the illness can be caused by the drug.

Pyriostigimine bromide was given to fight nerve agents. A spokesman said: "As a report we welcome it and will be studying it carefully.

"But on first readings we notice the report does not support any of the theories linking the drug to the illness."

But Professor Malcolm Hooper, advisor to Gulf War veterans in the UK, told BBC News Online that he was certain pyriostigimine bromide - normally used to to treat nerve muscle failures - was one of the causes of Gulf War Syndrome.

'Unacceptable' stance

The Ministry of Defence "took a flyer" when it gave out the drug to British forces in the Gulf, assuming that it could not affect the troops.

He added: "The Pentagon has accepted nearly all of the causes of Gulf War Syndrome, but the Ministry of Defence will not.

"Their stance is unjustifiable and unacceptable."

He suspected that Gulf War Syndrome was caused by a combination of pyriostigimine bromide, a rushed immunisation programme, exposure to depleted uranium and oil smoke, insecticides and nerve agents.

Earlier this year, Gulf War veterans attacked the first Ministry of Defence (MoD) report on Gulf War Syndrome, which found no evidence of a single cause for veterans' symptoms.

The report, based on the MoD's medical assessment programme for Gulf War veterans, suggested many of the symptoms of the illness could be put down to post-traumatic stress disorder.

The National Gulf Veterans' and Families' Association called the research "an outrageous attempt to cover up Gulf War Illness".

The findings in the report echoed research by the Gulf War Research Unit which rejected the existence of any specific Gulf War Syndrome.

However it confirmed that Gulf War veterans were twice as likely to be ill as service personnel who did not serve in the 1991 conflict.

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