Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 5.djvu/566

 112 STAT. 3324 PUBLIC LAW 105-368—NOV. 11, 1998 a greater relative risk of illness or illnesses in family members of veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War theater of operations than in family members of veterans who did not so serve, the head of the department or agency designated under subsection (a) shall seek to ensure that appropriate research studies are designed to follow up on such findings. "(d) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH FiNDiNcs.The head of the department or agency designated under subsection (a) shall ensure that the findings of all research conducted by or for the executive branch relating to the health consequences of military service in the Persian Gulf theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War (including information pertinent to improving provision of care for veterans of such service) are made available to the public through peer-reviewed medical journals, the World Wide Web, and other appropriate media. "(e) OUTREACH. — The head of the department or agency designated under subsection (a) shall ensure that the appropriate departments consult and coordinate in carrying out an ongoing program to provide information to those who served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War relating to: (1) the health risks, if any, resulting from any risk factors associated with such service; and (2) any services or benefits available with respect to such health risks.". 38 USC 1117 SEC. 105. IMPROVING EFFECTIVENESS OF CARE OF PERSIAN GULF note. WAR VETERANS. Deadline. (a) ASSESSMENT BY NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. —Not Contracts. later than April 1, 1999, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enter into a contract with the National Academy of Sciences to review the available scientific data in order to— (1) assess whether a methodology could be used by the Department of Veterans Affairs for determining the efficacy of treatments furnished to, and health outcomes (including functional status) of, Persian Gulf War veterans who have been treated for illnesses which may be associated with their service in the Persian Gulf War; and (2) identify, to the extent feasible, with respect to each undiagnosed illness prevalent Eimong such veterans and for any other chronic illness that the Academy determines to warrant such review, empirically valid models of treatment for such illness which employ successful treatment modalities for populations with similar symptoms. (b) ACTION ON REPORT.- -(1) After receiving the final report of the National Academy of Sciences under subsection (a), the Secretary shall, if a reasonable and scientifically feasible methodology is identified by the Academy, develop an appropriate mechanism to monitor and study the effectiveness of treatments furnished to, and health outcomes of, Persian Gulf War veterans who suffer from diagnosed and undiagnosed illnesses which may be associated with their service in the Persian Gulf War. ^ (2) The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the implementation of paragraph (1). Deadline. (3) The Secretary shall carry out paragraphs (1) and (2) not later than 180 days after receiving the final report of the National Academy of Sciences under subsection (a).

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