VA is partnering with the National Institutes of Health in a first of its kind collaborative study in Bethesda, Maryland, to better understand Gulf War illness (GWI). The study, entitled Project IN-DEPTH, seeks to create new biomarkers for more accurate diagnosis, explain the biological mechanisms that drive chronic symptoms, and lay the groundwork for better treatments of GWI, which is a complex, poorly understood illness.

GWI has affected about a third of veterans deployed in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. To accomplish the study’s objective, VA is recruiting, screening, and evaluating Gulf War veterans with the goal of understanding why some have developed GWI and others have not, comparing findings with those from patients with other illnesses that involve fatigue to learn about similarities and differences.

Participating veterans will be compensated up to $375 for VA study procedures that are eventually completed. Any travel and lodging expenses will also be reimbursed. For more information in a digital brochure, click here.