NIH Halts Havana Syndrome Study Amid Coercion Claims

The National Institute of Health (NIH) has shut down a long-term study on Havana Syndrome patients following reports of participants being pressured to join the research. The internal review board investigation revealed that informed consent requirements were not met due to coercion, prompting the study's suspension.

After conducting an internal review, the National Institute of Health (NIH) has halted a long-term study on Havana Syndrome patients. The study's suspension stemmed from reports that participants had been coerced to join the research, leading to concerns about ethical violations.

The internal investigation was initiated following complaints from participants alleging unethical practices. The NIH's Office of Intramural Research and the Research Compliance Review Committee, an Institutional Review Board (IRB), conducted the investigation.

NIH Halts Havana Syndrome Study Amid Coercion Claims

The review found that regulatory and NIH policy requirements for informed consent were not met due to coercion, although not on the part of NIH researchers. The NIH spokesperson stated that "voluntary consent is a fundamental pillar of the ethical conduct of research," and out of an abundance of caution, the study was stopped.

Havana Syndrome is a mysterious neurological condition that has affected hundreds of U.S. intelligence officers and government employees overseas. Symptoms include severe headaches, vertigo, tinnitus, and cognitive impairment. The condition has been linked to potential exposure to pulsed energy weapons.

NIH Halts Havana Syndrome Study Amid Coercion Claims

A former CIA officer known as Adam, who is considered Havana Syndrome's Patient Zero, expressed no surprise at the study's shutdown. He described the conduct of the study as "at best, dishonest and, at worst, wades into the criminal side of the scale."

Adam, who experienced the initial Havana Syndrome attack in Havana in 2016, raised concerns that the CIA had included patients who did not qualify as Havana Syndrome victims, potentially diluting the research data. He also alleged that pressure was exerted on patients seeking treatment at Walter Reed to participate in the NIH study.

NIH Halts Havana Syndrome Study Amid Coercion Claims

The NIH has clarified that the investigative findings do not impact the conclusions of the study. The results, published in the journal JAMA, suggested no significant MRI-detectable evidence of brain injury among the participants compared to a control group.

However, Havana Syndrome victims now call on the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) to retract these articles, arguing that they were based on insufficient data from the flawed NIH study.

NIH Halts Havana Syndrome Study Amid Coercion Claims

The CIA has confirmed its cooperation with the NIH review and has offered access to requested information. The CIA Inspector General is also aware of the NIH findings and related allegations.

The NIH's decision to halt the study underscores the ongoing challenges in understanding and treating Havana Syndrome. The condition remains poorly understood, and the lack of definitive evidence has hindered efforts to provide effective treatment and support to affected individuals.