Study finds Porton Down chemical weapons veterans have higher mortality rate
They face a 6% higher death rate, according to a new report
Military veterans who researched chemical warfare agents have been found to have a higher mortality rate a study has discovered.
Researchers from the King’s Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR) at King’s College London, in partnership with Lancaster University, revealed veterans who were exposed to chemical agents face a 6% higher death rate.
After comparing the medical records of nearly 33,000 male UK veterans who worked at Porton Down, those who participated in the ‘Service Volunteer Programme’ from 1941-1989 were found to be at greater risk of illnesses including kidney disease.
Following the research, Dr Tom Keegan said the military personnel were exposed to more than 400 different types of chemicals, adding: “we now want to investigate whether particular chemicals are associated with increased risk of poorer health.”
Dr Gemma Archer, the study’s first author said the large majority of veterans were unlikely to have come to harm as they were often only exposed to small doses of chemical agents – but warned healthcare professionals to be mindful of treating victims of chemical exposure.