Two new medical studies have found that U.S. government employees suffering from Havana syndrome symptoms showed no visible physical damage or changes.
One of the studies published by a federally funded research institute on Monday National Institutes of Health (NIH) The researchers looked at brain imaging, while the other looked at blood biomarkers and clinical assessments of hearing, vision, hand-eye coordination, cognitive ability, and balance.
Both studies American Medical Association JournalThe control group suffered from a group of often debilitating symptoms known as Havana syndrome, named after the location where the first cases were recorded among diplomats and intelligence officials in 2015. The researchers found significant differences among approximately 80 current or former U.S. government employees. .
Since then, hundreds of cases have been reported, most among U.S. officials stationed overseas, and many of them have been linked to previously unknown weapons using some kind of directed energy wielded by hostile forces. This has led to the theory that he may have been targeted. Official studies and statements on what the government calls “abnormal health incidents” (AHIs) give varying assessments of the likelihood that such weapons were involved.
Lawyers for several Havana syndrome patients said the test showed nothing new about the phenomenon and argued that the way the study was conducted raised ethical questions.
An NIH neuroimaging study found that “after adjusting for multiple comparisons, there were no significant differences in imaging measures of brain structure or function between individuals who reported AHI and matched control participants.” did.
However, it added: “The fact that this study did not identify neuroimaging signs of brain injury in this AHI cohort does not detract from the seriousness of the clinical condition.”
Symptoms of Havana syndrome include prolonged severe headaches, dizziness, nausea, and fatigue, which in some cases makes it impossible for patients to continue working.
The second NIH study found that “for most clinical, research, and biomarker measurements, except for objective and self-report measures of imbalance and symptoms such as fatigue, post-traumatic stress, and post-traumatic stress, There were no significant differences between individuals reporting AHI and matched control participants.” And depression. ”
Mark Zaid, a Washington, D.C.-based attorney who represents several Havana syndrome patients, said the study yielded “few substantive new findings.”
“Of course, lack of evidence is not evidence, so these studies do not undermine the theory that foreign adversaries are harming U.S. service members and their families with some form of directed energy.” Zaid said in a statement.
He added that there are ethical concerns, including whether the NIH study is truly voluntary.
“Some of my clients have been told that they must participate in research studies if they want to receive treatment for their injuries, which is a serious mistake in a medical setting that promotes informed consent,” he says. said.
