The Institute of Medicine's independent scientific assessment of Gulf War health issues

Abstract

The Institute of Medicine has frequently been the source of expert advice to the government and others on questions related to health and medicine. Such has been the case as Congress, federal agencies, and veterans attempt to resolve conflicts and develop policies to address the health concerns of Persian Gulf War veterans. Twelve reports issued by Institute of Medicine committees address what is known about exposures and illnesses in Gulf War veterans and what additional information is needed, how clinical programs for Gulf War veterans could be improved, and what strategies could help prevent or better address similar health problems in the future. The Institute of Medicine reports recommend guidelines and interventions to treat sufferers of medically unexplained symptoms, longitudinal studies to measure changes in health status, and improved risk communication. They emphasize the need for the maintenance of retrievable electronic records of baseline health status, of exposures, and of health events that occur during a service member's career.