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Updated: 13-Feb-2001 NATO Information

24 January 2001

Health Concerns Related
to the Balkan Deployments

by the North Atlantic Military Committee


BACKGROUND

  1. Following increased public debate on possible health hazards stemming from Depleted Uranium (DU), the Committee of the Chiefs of the Military Medical Services in NATO (COMEDS) decided to meet to assess the situation and develop a strategy for future handling.
  2. The meeting was held on Monday, 15 January and resulted in a report on health concerns related to the Balkan Deployments (enclosure).

AIM

  1. To provide MC advice on the issue.

COMEDS REPORT

  1. COMEDS reports its conclusions that:
    1. COMEDS recognizes the imperative to listen to the health concerns of the military personnel.
    2. These health concerns and problems are best served by scientific, peer-reviewed analysis including independent studies.
    3. Based on such peer-reviewed medical scientific data and on the available national information, a link between DU and the reported cancers cannot be established.
    4. Although presently there is no indication of any atypical illness linked to the Balkan, the timely investigation of all reports of an increased incidence of symptoms or pathologies is necessary. Again this ought to be performed in an open, scientific, and peer-reviewed manner.
    5. It is in the interest of the veterans, the military and medical communities and the local populations, that health risks related to the operational environment be approached by Medical Services from a multinational perspective in a transparent and in an independent manner.

  2. COMEDS tasked the Working Group for Military Preventive Medicine to develop a coherent strategy, process and standardization procedures that will enable known and future health hazards to be identified and addressed, and to make proposals by May 01.

MC CONSIDERATION

  1. The MC considers the report to be a valid contribution to establish facts on the health risks related to DU. Especially the report emphasises that:
    1. at present, based on peer-reviewed medical scientific data and on the available national information, a link between DU and the reported cancers cannot be established;
    2. presently, there is no indication of any atypical illness linked to the Balkans; and
    3. those soldiers with health complaints must be given the best appropriate medical care. Further, ongoing investigations into a possible common causative factors must be continued and improved mechanisms for identifying and tracking such deployment-related symptoms and complaints need to be developed;
    4. health risks related to the operational environment be followed on by Medical Services from a multinational perspective in a transparent and in an independent manner.

CONCLUSION

  1. The MC forwards this report to the NAC for its information and appropriate action.