Chemical Weapons Exposures in Iraq: Challenges of a Public Health Response a Decade Later.
An October 14, 2014 article in The New York Times reported that the US Department of Defense (DoD) concealed, for nearly a decade, circumstances surrounding service members' exposure to chemical warfare agents (CWA) while deployed to Iraq in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn from March 13, 2003, to December 31, 2011, and alleged failure of the DoD to provide expedient and adequate medical care. This report prompted the DoD to devise a public health investigation, with the Army Public Health Center (Provisional) as the lead agency to identify, evaluate, document, and track CWA casualties of the Iraq war. Further, the DoD revisited and revised clinical guidelines and health policies concerning CWA exposure based on current evidence-based guidelines and best practices.
Environmental Medicine Division, US Army Public Health Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland.
Coleen
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Baird
Raul
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Mirza
Jessica M
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Sharkey
Ron
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Teichman
Romarius
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Longmire
Deanna
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Harkins
Joseph
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Llanos
Joseph
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Abraham
Charles
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McCannon
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Heller
Carole
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Tinklepaugh
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D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007493:Iraq; D008889:Military Personnel; D009151:Mustard Gas / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000067397:Nerve Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D014857:Warfare
D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D000067397:Nerve Agents; D009151:Mustard Gas