Chemical Weapons Exposures in Iraq: Challenges of a Public Health Response a Decade Later

• Published in: U.S. Army Medical Department journal 2016-10 (3-16), p.75-84
• Main Authors: Baird, Coleen, Mirza, Raul, Sharkey, Jessica M, Teichman, Ron, Longmire, Romarius, Harkins, Deanna, Llanos, Joseph, Abraham, Joseph, McCannon, Charles, Heller, Jack, Tinklepaugh, Carole, Rice, William
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemical Warfare Agents - adverse effects; Chemical Warfare Agents - metabolism; Chemical weapons; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; Evidence-based medicine; Health aspects; Humans; Iraq; Management; Military Personnel; Mustard Gas - adverse effects; Mustard Gas - metabolism; Nerve Agents - adverse effects; Nerve Agents - metabolism; Public health; Public Health - methods; Public Health - standards; Warfare
• ISSN: 1524-0436; 1946-1968

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.