Vaccinations and Gulf War Veterans

United States Department of Veterans Affairs

Public Health

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VA and research organizations continue to evaluate possible causes of Gulf War Veterans' chronic multisymptom illnesses, including vaccinations.

VA presumes certain medically unexplained illnesses are related to Gulf War service without regard to cause.

Gulf War vaccinations

Standard series of inoculations against infectious diseases provided to any U.S. citizen traveling to the Gulf (including yellow fever, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, meningitis, whooping cough, polio, tetanus)
Anthrax - about 150,000 troops
Botulinum toxoid - about 8,000 troops

VA benefits

Gulf War Veterans may be eligible for a variety of VA benefits, including a Gulf War Registry health exam, health care, and disability compensation for diseases related to military service. Their dependents and survivors also may be eligible for benefits.

Learn more about benefits related to Gulf War service.

Research on vaccinations and Gulf War Veterans

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences concluded in its report Gulf War and Health: Depleted Uranium, Sarin, Pyridostigmine Bromide, and Vaccines (2000) that there is inadequate or insufficient evidence to determine whether an association does or does not exist between multiple vaccinations and long-term adverse health problems.

View more research on health effects of Gulf War service.