Update to Current Policy for Treatment of Depleted Uranium Chemical Toxicity

Abstract

Depleted uranium is a form of uranium that poses a chemical toxicity risk. Depleted uranium has a few military applications, such as in vehicle armor and munitions. Exposure to depleted uranium in the battlefield poses inhalational and fragment risks because of its chemical toxicity. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) policies for dealing with depleted uranium exposure have not been updated since 2004. Therefore, there is a risk that patients who are exposed to depleted uranium will not receive medical care that is in sync with the last decade-plus of scientific research. Other associated policies, such as U.S. Veterans Administration and World Health Organization guidelines, may have changed in the interim as well. This paper reviews scientific literature and policies published since 2004 to determine whether or why any changes to the current DOD policies are warranted, and makes recommendations accordingly.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 2020
Accession Number
AD1106087

Entities

People

  • Catherine E. Shuster

Organizations

  • Institute for Defense Analyses

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Army Personnel
  • Blood
  • Chelation
  • Department Of Defense
  • Department Of Veterans Affairs
  • Detoxification
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Health Services
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military Hospitals
  • Military Personnel
  • Personnel Management
  • Physicians
  • Public Health
  • Scientific Literature
  • Scientific Research
  • Therapy

Readers

  • Environmental Engineering.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Toxicology/Environmental Toxicology