UK government to recognize Gulf War Syndrome

Written by Matthew Hogg

Tuesday, 16 October 2007 12:46

Nearly 17 years after troops returned from the first Gulf War suffering from mysterious symptoms the UK government is set to officially recognize Gulf War Syndrome.

The Manchester Evening News reported at the weekend that the Ministry of Defence will finally recognize the existence of Gulf War Syndrome after sustained pressure from veterans and their families, as well as many in the political and scientific arenas.

It seems Defence Minister Lord Drayson admitted the change of position to Manchester peer Lord Morris, who has been an outspoken critic of the way veterans have been treated. Lord Morris has consistently sought to bring the problems faced by veterans to the attention of those in power.

The MEN quotes Lord Drayson as saying: "The issue of Gulf War Syndrome will be fully recognised by the Ministry of Defence and I accept on behalf of the MoD that this issue has not been handled well from the beginning.

"The department was slow to recognise the emerging ill- health issues and to put measures in place to address them. We have apologised for this and I repeat that apology today."

The MoD has reportedly written to veterans to tell them they can use the term Gulf War Syndrome to describe their illness. They also said they are collaborating with doctors and other experts to develop a suitable rehabilitation program for those affected.

There is however no sign of an official announcement informing the public that Gulf War Syndrome is now officially recognised as an illness caused by service in the first Gulf War and no national media sources seem to be carrying the story.

If this does turn out to be an official recognition of Gulf War Syndrome it should make it much easier for thousands of veterans to secure pensions based on their ill-health. The situation was previously improved for veterans following a landmark tribunal appeal in October 2005, in which a sick veteran was awarded a military pension due to his illness. At that time the MoD said it accepted Gulf War Syndrome as a "useful umbrella term".

The allies have all been slow to officially recognize the syndrome but the UK has been one of the slowest. Towards the end of 2004 the US government performed a u-turn and conceded, after years of denials, that Gulf War Syndrome does exist as a distinct disease.

The American's official acceptance came after an official report from the US Department of Veterans Affairs Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans Illnesses. The report concluded that, a substantial proportion of Gulf war veterans are ill with multisystem conditions not explained by wartime stress or psychiatric illness.

The report suggested illness had resulted from damage primarily caused by nerve gas and its antidotes, and organophosphate insecticides (OPs). All of these substances block an enzyme called cholinesterase which normally breaks down acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter involved in muscle contraction and important brain functions such as memory.

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written by MR J GIBBONS, February 08, 2008

I was sent home from B.A.E.in dec 1992 after R.A.F.TORNADO,S WAS SENT BACK UNCLEAN IN BATTLE FATIGUE CONDITION TO WARTON PRESTON THEY WAS PLACED IN A DISUSED HANGAR WERE I WAS WORKING.I STARTED TO HAVE SEVERE MUSCLE PROBLEMS BLEEDING FROM THE RECTRUM MEMORY LOSS AND EXTREME FATIGUE.i WAS RETIRED ON ILL HEALTH TOLD I WOULD NEVER WORK AGAIN MY WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNT WAS 1500 THE NORM BEING 250 IT DESTROYED MY SLAVIA GLANDS AND TEAR DUCTS

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written by rich, July 09, 2008

this doesnt add up. if government says gulf war syndrome is from vacines given to troops then why would you have contracted it just by working close to a plane. have they not investigated the use of depleted uranium. this would leave high levels on the plane that you would have been exposed to back in england and although i am no doctor would probably explain the terrible side effects you have suffered

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written by MR J,K,GIBBONS, September 08, 2008

The goverment didn,t admit it was through vacines infact they employed a proffessor Lee from harris hospital in london to research into vaccines and his report shows it wasn ,t the cause I never said it was vaccines thats what they blamed it on in the first instance WHAT ABOUT ALL THE IRAQI PEOPLE WHAT DEVELOPED THE SAME SYMPTOMS.tHEY DIDN,T HAVE INJECTIONS.Don,t believe everthing the goverment tee you Labour in 1994 promised a public enquiry into gulf war but when they came to power they changed thier policyAs for what I BELIEVE caused my illness is without question what ever was mixed in with the sand I suspect depleted uranium dust wish was inhaled through my mouth an nose the natural immuity defence of the body attack these particles causing my white blood cells to multiply damaging my tear ducts and slavia glands which the doctors diagnosed as sergrons syndrome and I believe caused the bleeding from the rectrum and muscle weakness I thank you for your interest and welcome a open debate the doctors employed by the goverment could try to prove it exists rather trying to prove it dosn,t which they have not been able to The americans except it why can,t are goverment could it be to do with money!
P.S. They have stopped using deleted uranium weapons QUOTE FROM THE GOVERMENT they are not as accurate as accurate on missiles as some other metals e.g Tungston AND to think I was so daft I always thought they were guided by computers.
yours faithfully J.K.GIBBONS

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written by lennox helft, April 08, 2009

I too have Gulf War Syndrome. But now they call it Fibromyalgia. I got it after I came back from Aden in 1968. I have suffered for over 40 years from this debilitating illness and was told by doctors "it is all in your mind". I have been unable to work since I was medically discharged from the Army. When will the MOD own up to this and give us veterans a decent pension?

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written by Paul Holmes, May 27, 2011

It is about time the government get real and realise veterens are suffering from neglect and cover ups.

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written by brett green, January 21, 2013

im ex p.o.w guardforce, (coldstream guards) sent to the first gulf war we had all the cocktails of vacs and n.a.p tablets. 3 months ago i was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia which has come as a massive shock to me and my family, ive spoken to experts and they say it is a massive possibility that it could of stemmed from the cocktail of vacs and tablets i was taking during operation desert storm. Am i just another statistic of the mod cover up i would like to hear if there are any more stories similar to mine and would like to get in touch via e mail.