A report by the Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses (OSAGWI) found that documents from the Gulf War indicate confusion about where, or whether, the vaccinations were to be recorded (OSAGWI, 1999). Further, existing record entries show no consistency in recording the type of vaccine (notations include “A-Vax,” “Vacc A,” “Vacc B,” and “B Vaccination”). However, medical records from the Gulf War contain little or no information about who received vaccines, how frequently vaccines were administered, or the timing of vaccinations relative to the other putative exposures (OSAGWI, 1999). troops received at least one anthrax vaccination (Christopher et al., 1997 Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 1998).Īpproximately 137,850 doses of botulinum toxoid were sent to the Gulf, and it is estimated that 8,000 individuals were vaccinated (Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 1998). It is estimated that 310,680 doses of the anthrax vaccine licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were distributed to the Gulf War theatre and that 150,000 U.S. Concerns prior to the Gulf War regarding Iraq’s offensive biological warfare capabilities, led to decisions that available vaccines should be utilized as preventive measures against biological warfare agents. Additionally, when troops are assigned to specific duty stations they are given the vaccinations that are targeted to protect them from the risks found in their assigned geographic locale or that are specifically related to their assignment (IOM, 1996).ĭuring the Gulf War, a number of different immunobiologics (e.g., cholera, meningitis, rabies, tetanus, and typhoid vaccines) were sent to protect against potential exposures to biological threats (Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 1998). A standard set of vaccinations is required for each military recruit this set varies slightly by branch of service. military implements a comprehensive immunization 1 program that is designed to protect the armed forces against potential disease risks (Takafuji and Russell, 1990).
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