The French Working Group concluded, "The medical data pertaining to French Veterans are not accessible. Thus, it prevents us from upholding or overturning the findings drawn from the international [American and British] literature. . . The questions that are being asked about the Gulf War have revealed, or confirmed, to the members of the Working Group that epidemiological monitoring in France for war veterans is totally inadequate."

The recommendations for a health study of French Gulf War veterans were: "In order to bring reliable and clear answers to questions raised by public debate and to concerns expressed by soldiers deployed in the Gulf, we are adamant in proposing several projects that we have classified as epidemiological studies, other research and mid-term and long-term monitoring. We feel it is essential to carry out an in-depth study using a questionnaire for all the veterans who participated in the Gulf War."

A comprehensive epidemiological study will begin with the evaluations of approximately 25,000 French Gulf War veterans in February 2002, and is planned to take two years.

Dr. Roger Salamon, a professor at the University of Bordeaux, is directing the study, which will include a comprehensive questionnaire covering a full range of health effects, and a medical examination in a civilian or military medical facility.

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