Department of Veterans Affairs: Federal Gulf War Illnesses Research Strategy Needs Reassessment
GAO-04-767
Published: Jun 01, 2004. Publicly Released: Jun 01, 2004.
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Highlights
More than a decade after the 1991 Persian Gulf War, there is continued interest in the federal response to the health concerns of Gulf War veterans. Gulf War veterans' reports of unexplained illnesses and possible exposures to various health hazards have prompted numerous federal research projects on Gulf War illnesses. This research has been funded primarily by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the Department of Health and Human Services. GAO is reporting on (1) the status of research and investigations on Gulf War illnesses, (2) the efforts that have been made by VA and DOD to monitor cancer incidence among Gulf War veterans, and (3) VA's communication and collaboration with the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses (RAC).
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Veterans Affairs | With respect to the federal Gulf War illnesses research efforts, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should conduct a reassessment of the Gulf War illnesses research strategy to determine whether the 21 key research questions have been answered, whether they remain relevant, and whether there are promising areas for future research. |
The Department of Veterans Affairs took initial steps to reevaluate the 21 key Gulf War illness research questions, but its efforts to fully reassess all of the questions have not continued. The 21 research questions were converted to 21 broad based research topic areas in 2004 and 2005. A review of these topic areas was initiated in the 2006 Annual Report to Congress and began with infectious diseases. Based on a review of scientific literature described in the 2006 report, VA concluded that there was no rationale to continue inclusion of infectious diseases as an area of Gulf War illness research. This resulted in the removal of 2 of the 21 research topic areas and the modification of one research topic area. In VA's 2007 update for us, reviews of the Gulf War illness research topic areas were intended to continue until all of the topic areas have been evaluated. However, there was no evidence in the 2007 Annual Report that this review has continued nor was there mention of this review in VA's 2008 update for us.
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| Department of Veterans Affairs | To facilitate RAC's ability to provide advice on Gulf War illnesses research, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should ensure that a liaison who is knowledgeable about Gulf War illnesses research is appointed to routinely share information with RAC. |
In June 2005, VA appointed a Ph.D. scientist to both oversee VA's Gulf War research program and to act as liaison to involve RAC in development of the research program. In addition, VA's Office of Research and Development has collaborated with RAC in several activities that facilitate RAC's ability to provide advice on Gulf War illnesses research, including development of a Gulf War illnesses research Request for Proposal (RFP) in March 2005 and generation of a proposed Gulf War Treatment Research Center RFP, resulting from RAC's recommendations for a dedicated treatment research center for illnesses affecting Gulf War veterans.
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| Department of Veterans Affairs | To facilitate RAC's ability to provide advice on Gulf War illnesses research, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should ensure that VA's research offices collaborate with RAC on Gulf War illnesses research program development activities. |
In June 2005, VA appointed a Ph.D. scientist to both oversee VA's Gulf War research program and to act as liaison to involve RAC in development of the research program. In addition, VA's Office of Research and Development has collaborated with RAC in several activities that facilitate RAC's ability to provide advice on Gulf War illnesses research, including development of a Gulf War illnesses research Request for Proposal (RFP) in March 2005 and generation of a proposed Gulf War Treatment Research Center RFP, resulting from RAC's recommendations for a dedicated treatment research center for illnesses affecting Gulf War veterans.
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Topics
Health hazardsHealth research programsInfectious diseasesInteragency relationsMilitary personnelVeteransGulf war syndromeGulf war illnessesGulf war veteransCancer