Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 5.djvu/567

 PUBLIC LAW 105-368 —NOV. 11, 1998 112 STAT. 3325 SEC. 106. CONTRACT FOR INDEPENDENT RECOMMENDATIONS ON RESEARCH AND FOR DEVELOPMENT OF CURRICULUM ON CARE OF PERSIAN GULF WAR VETERANS. Section 706 of the Persian Gulf War Veterans' Health Status Act (title VII of Public Law 102-585; 38 U.S.C. 527 note) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: "(d) RESEARCH REVIEW AND DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM.—(1) In order to further understand the health consequences of military service in the Persian Gulf theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War and of new research findings with implications for improving the provision of care for veterans of such service, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences under which the Institute of Medicine of the Academy would— "(A) develop a curriculum pertaining to the care and treatment of veterans of such service who have ill-defined or undiagnosed illnesses for use in the continuing medical education of both general and specialty physicians who provide care for such veterans; and "(B) on an ongoing basis, periodically review and provide recommendations regarding the research plans and research strategies of the Departments relating to the health consequences of military service in the Persian Gulf theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War. "(2) Recommendations to be provided under paragraph (1)(B) include any recommendations that the Academy considers appropriate for additional scientific studies (including studies related to treatment models) to resolve areas of continuing scientific uncertainty relating to the health consequences of any aspects of such military service. In making recommendations for additional studies, the Academy shall consider the available scientific data, the value and relevance of the information that could result from such studies, and the cost and feasibility of carrying out such studies. "(3) Not later than 9 months after the Institute of Medicine Deadline, provides the Secretaries the curriculum developed under paragraph (1)(A), the Secretaries shall provide for the conduct of continuing education programs using that curriculum. Those programs shall include instruction which seeks to emphasize use of appropriate protocols of diagnosis, referral, and treatment of such veterans.". SEC. 107. EXTENSION AND IMPROVEMENT OF EVALUATION OF HEALTH STATUS OF SPOUSES AND CHILDREN OF PERSIAN GULF WAR VETERANS. (a) ONE-YEAR EXTENSION. —Subsection (b) of section 107 of the Persian Gulf War Veterans' Benefits Act (title I of Public Law 103-446; 38 U.S.C. 1117 note) is amended by striking "December 31, 1998" and inserting "December 31, 1999". (b) TERMINATION OF CERTAIN TESTING AND EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS.—Subsection (a) of such section is amended— (1) by striking "the" after "Secretary of"; (2) by striking "study" both places it appears and inserting "program"; and (3) by striking the sentence following paragraph (3). (c) ENHANCED FLEXIBILITY IN EXAMINATIONS.— Subsection (d) of such section is amended—

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