The need for VA leadership in advancing traumatic brain injury care

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) afflicts veterans, active duty service members and the civilian community. An estimated 5.3 million US men, women, and children live with a permanent TBI-related disability. There is no cure for TBI, and the discovery of new and effective treatments is complicated by the fact that TBI is multifaceted and varies from individual to individual. Due to its established research centers, wealth of veteran health data, and commitment to veteran health, the VA should be considered a natural leader for expanded TBI research.