USA Today (1/24, Kennedy) reports that a new study released Wednesday by the Federal Institute of Medicine found that veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars may be suffering from chronic multisymptom illness, formerly known as Gulf War illness. Paul Rieckhoff, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said this “may be the first time that the symptoms suffered by veterans of the 1991 Gulf War have been linked to veterans of the current wars, which started in 2001 and 2003.” The researchers “investigated treatments for Gulf War illness, including any existing research, to see what worked for veterans.” They found that veterans who suffer from chronic multisymptom illness have “symptoms in at least two of six categories: fatigue, mood and cognition issues, musculoskeletal problems, gastrointestinal problems, respiratory difficulties and neurologic issues that last for at least six months.”
Related Links:
— “Report: New vets showing Gulf War illness symptoms, “Kelly Kennedy, USA Today, January 23, 2013.