Pope to Aid in Research on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses

Friday, November 2, 2018

Oklahoma State University’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences’ Carey Pope, PhD, has been appointed to the Department of Veterans Affairs Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses.

According to the VA, Gulf War health-related research aims to improve the health of Persian Gulf War veterans.

“Many veterans of the first Gulf War have persisting, unexplained health problems,” said Pope. “This committee provides vital input on the direction of federally-funded research in this area.”

The Committee advises the VA on the nature and scope of scientific research and development sponsored or conducted by the Veterans Health Administration and other entities as appropriate. The efforts help the VA sustain a national research program to answer central questions regarding the health consequences of military service in the 1990-1991 Gulf War. This also helps the VA assess the overall effectiveness of research on these health care needs.

Pope is a Regents professor and holds the Walter Sitlington Chair in Toxicology in the Department of Physiological Sciences. He is well-known for his work in toxicology and the effects of organophosphates on human, animal and environmental health.

This national committee was created by Congress in 1998.