Overview
This page documents the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's 2020 assessment report on illnesses affecting U.S. government personnel at overseas embassies, particularly focusing on the Havana Syndrome cases.
Report Title: An Assessment of Illness in U.S. Government Employees and Their Families at Overseas Embassies
Sponsor: U.S. Department of State
Committee: Standing Committee to Advise the U.S. Department of State on Unexplained Health Effects on U.S. Government Employees and Their Families at Overseas Embassies
Key Findings
The committee examined plausible causes including directed pulsed radio frequency energy, chemical exposures, infectious diseases (such as Zika), and psychological issues.
Most Plausible Mechanism
Directed, pulsed radio frequency energy appears to be the most plausible mechanism explaining these cases, especially in individuals with distinct early symptoms. Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) — a functional vestibular disorder that may be triggered by vestibular, neurologic, or other medical and psychological conditions — is identified as a secondary reinforcing mechanism.
Clinical Variability
The committee noted it could not rule out other possible mechanisms and found it likely that a multiplicity of factors explains some cases and the differences between others. The committee could not be certain that individuals with only chronic signs and symptoms suffered from the same causes and mechanisms as those who reported initial sudden onset symptoms.
Challenges in Assessment
The committee faced several challenges:
- Extreme variability in clinical cases
- Lack of access to specific health or personal information on affected individuals
Symptoms Documented
Affected personnel at U.S. Embassy Havana (late 2016) and later U.S. Consulate Guangzhou, China reported:
- Perceived loud noise with directional features
- Ear pain
- Intense head pressure or vibration
- Dizziness
- Visual problems
- Cognitive difficulties
- Many continue to experience these or other health problems
Recommendations
The report includes recommendations for rehabilitation and actions the State Department should take to enhance responses to future threats to well-being of personnel and their families.
Significance
Committee chair David Relman (Stanford University) stated: "We as a nation need to address these specific cases as well as the possibility of future cases with a concerted, coordinated, and comprehensive approach."