12 2 STA T .4 1 87PUBLIC LA W 11 0–3 8 9—O CT. 10 , 2008 sub s ection(d), inc l udin g t h e f unding of p ilot studies a utho r- i z edb y paragraph ( 2 ) of that subsection . (2) MEDIUM - T E R MRE S E A R CH . —F ro m amounts a v ailable for fiscal year 2 01 2 for the D epartment of V eterans A ffairs for Medical and P rosthetic R esearch, $ 200,000 shall be available for the preparation of the report re q uired by subsection (e)(1) and for the disposition, if any, of assets authorized by subsection (e)(2). SEC.804 . NATIO NA L ACA D E M IES ST U D Y ON R IS K O F DE V ELO P IN G MUL - TIPLE SCLEROSIS AS A RESULT OF CERTAIN SERVICE IN T H E PERSIAN GULF W AR AND POST 9/1 1 GLO B AL OPER- ATIONS THEATERS. (a) ING ENERA L .— T he S ecretary of Veterans Affairs shall enter into a contract w ith the Institute of Medicine of the N ational Academies to conduct a comprehensive epidemiological study for purposes of identifying any increased ris k of developing multiple sclerosis as a result of service in the Armed Forces during the Persian Gulf W ar in the Southwest Asia theater of operations or in the Post 9/ 11 Global O perations theaters. (b) E LEMENTS.—In conducting the study required under sub- section (a), the Institute of Medicine shall do the following
(1) Determine whether service in the Armed Forces during the Persian Gulf War in the Southwest Asia theater of oper- ations, or in the Post 9/11 Global Operations theaters, increased the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. (2) Identify the incidence and prevalence of diagnosed neurological diseases, including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson ’ s disease, and brain cancers, as well as central nervous system abnormalities that are difficult to precisely diagnose, in each group as follows: (A) Members of the Armed Forces who served during the Persian Gulf War in the Southwest Asia theater of operations. ( B ) Members of the Armed Forces who served in the Post 9/11 Global Operations theaters. ( C ) A non-deployed comparison group for those who served in the Persian Gulf War in the Southwest Asia theater of operations and the Post 9/11 Global Operations theaters. ( 3 ) Compare the incidence and prevalence of the named diagnosed neurological diseases and undiagnosed central nervous system abnormalities among veterans who served during the Persian Gulf War in the Southwest Asia theater of operations, or in the Post 9/11 Global Operations theaters, in various locations during such periods, as determined by the Institute of Medicine. ( 4 ) Collect information on risk factors, such as pesticide and other to x ic exposures, to which veterans were exposed while serving during the Persian Gulf War in the Southwest Asia theater of operations or the Post 9/11 Global Operations theaters, or thereafter. (c) RE PO RTS.— (1) INTERIM REPORT.—The contract required by subsection (a) shall require the Institute of Medicine to submit to the Secretary, and to appropriate committees of Congress, interim progress reports on the study required under subsection (a). Contrac t s.
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