RAC Agenda for June 2009 Meetings in Boston Released

By Anthony Hardie, 91outcomes

(91outcomes.blogspot.com) -- The Congressionally Chartered federal Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses has publicly released its agenda for the RAC's upcoming meetings in Boston.

The RAC's June 29-30 meetings will be held at the Boston University School of Public Health, Crosstown Center, 801 Massachusetts Ave., Room 462, in Boston, Mass.

The RAC's scheduled presentations for Monday, June 28, which begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 5:00 p.m., include the following:

• Kuwaiti oil well fire study - Dr. Douglas Dockery, Harvard University School of Public Health
• Gulf War associated chronic coagulopathies update - Dr. Ronald Bach, Minneapolis VA Medical Center
• Impaired immune function in Gulf War illness - Dr. Nancy Klimas, Miami VA Medical Center
• Immune network remodeling in chronic fatigue syndrome - Dr. Gordon Broderick, University of Alberta
• The role of neuroinflammation in chronic illness - Dr. Keith Kelley, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Current therapies for Chronic multisymptom illness - Dr. Meryl Nass, Mt. Desert Island Hospital
• Update of VA Gulf War research - Dr. William Goldberg, VA Office of Research and Development
• Update of UTSW Gulf War research - Dr. Robert Haley, University of Texas Southwestern/VA Dallas Healthcare System

Following Monday's presentations will be a discussion of potential GWI treatments by the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses and invited speakers.

The presentations scheduled for Tuesday, June 30, which begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 1:15 p.m., include:

• Current practices in cognitive rehabilitation and pain management - Dr. Ross Zafonte, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
• Potential treatment for cognitive dysfunction using transcranial laser/light emitting diodes - Dr. Marney Naeser, VA Boston Healthcare System
• Innovative therapies for mild brain injuries - Dr. Philip De Fina, International Brain Research Foundation/Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation
• Current therapies for fibromyalgia - Dr. Dedra Buchwald, Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses

Following Tuesday's presentations will be a Committee discussion and opportunities for public comment. All meetings, including the committee discussion, are open to the public.

The RAC's next public meetings will be held November 2-3, 2009 at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs central office in downtown Washington, DC.

More information on the RAC's upcoming meetings is available from the RAC's website.