Editorial: Press on with research

Thursday, Sept. 14, 2006 | 7:25 a.m.

A new federally funded report says there is no such thing as Gulf War Syndrome, but does not deny that some veterans of the conflict have suffered certain types of illnesses.

The report, prepared by the Institute of Medicine and led by a Johns Hopkins University physician, was sponsored by the Veterans Affairs Administration and released Tuesday. It concludes that although nearly a third of the soldiers who served in the Persian Gulf War have reported such ailments as fatigue, memory loss, muscle and joint pain and rashes, the pattern of such symptoms has not been unique or comprehensive enough to pin on a single syndrome.

The illnesses reported by Gulf War veterans "also seems to exist in other veterans, though it is important to note the symptom rate is higher, and it is a serious issue" for such veterans, the study's leading researcher told The New York Times. It is the latest in a series of studies the VA has obtained to determine whether Gulf War veterans are entitled to special disability benefits for illnesses that are linked to their military service.

Those who served in the conflict, which was initiated after Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990, were exposed to an array of toxic substances, including smoke from oil well fires, depleted uranium ammunition and maybe even nerve gas that was released when a munitions dump was demolished.

The recent report says efforts to determine whether exposure to the contaminants affected Gulf War soldiers have been hobbled by a lack of complete information. Soldiers weren't adequately screened before deployment, and no one monitored their exposure to contaminants during the war.

We hope the VA pushes forward on more research into the lingering effects of the Gulf War - not only to obtain a definitive answer on the existence of a single syndrome but also to avoid repeating the errors. In the meantime, the agency should make sure that these soldiers, who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, get the medical care they need.