Written question asked by Lord Morris of Manchester (Labour), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Sainsbury of Turville (Labour) on Monday, 23 October 2006.

Gulf War Illnesses

Question: What assessment the Medical Research Council has made of the findings to date of the research at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in the United States on microglial activation following neurotoxic exposure: the self-propelling cycle of neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative disease and their possible relevance to illnesses among British veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf War; and

Answer: The Medical Research Council, through the Military Health Research Advisory Group (MHRAG), conducted a review of research into Gulf veterans’ illness in 2003. A number of UK and international studies in neurotoxicity were assessed, but this review did not include an assessment of research at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in the United States. In January 2005 the Medical Research Council facilitated a workshop to consider the recommendation of the 2003 MHRAG review to replicate US neuroimaging studies in the UK involving Gulf veterans or another military population with comparable symptoms. A number of relevant US studies were assessed, none of which was undertaken at the Johns Hopkins University.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 685 c214-5WA; 7696
Session: 2005-06
Related items: Gulf War Illnesses
Monday, 6 November 2006
Written questions
House of Lords; Gulf War Illnesses
Monday, 6 November 2006
Written questions
House of Lords; Gulf War Illnesses
Monday, 6 November 2006
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Diseases Iraq-Kuwait conflict Research USA Gulf War syndrome Medical Research Council Nervous system Veterans
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk