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An Assessment of Illness in U.S. Government Employees and Their Families at Overseas Embassies (2020) / Chapter Skim
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Section 1: Introduction and Charge to the Committee
Pages 5-7

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From page 5...
... Government Employees and Their Families at Overseas Embassies, detailed in Box 1, included provision of advice to DOS on best practices in their approach to current patients and prevention or mitigation of potential future incidents. The committee's task was not to "solve" the mystery surrounding what caused the symptoms experienced by personnel in Cuba and China, but it did include the evaluation of proposed plausible mechanisms.
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From page 6...
... This committee will collaborate with the DOS Bureau of Medical Services on best practices including but not limited to health monitoring, medical interventions, risk assessment, and exposure mitigation for overseas locations that may present a higher risk of adverse health effects. The standing committee will evaluate current DOS practices for pre- and post-assignment health screening, provide expertise on potential epidemiologic studies, help with characterizing and understanding the current cases of potential acoustic trauma, and develop a better understanding of possible causes of these cases and approaches for future incidents whether of an apparent acoustic nature or a different environmental or clinical presentation.
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From page 7...
... The standing committee will provide a forum for discussion of scientific, technical, and social issues relevant to effective health management and protection of staff and family members assigned to overseas locations. The committee will consider relevant scientific, technical, and policy issues including but not limited to: • Review of the current situation, to include discussions of epidemiologic investigations, case definitions, study methods, controls, and alternative hypotheses; • Review the active research agenda, including defining what types of information ought to be collected and archived against possible future needs, and any potential additional studies needed; • Assist in the optimization and deployment of screening protocols and assessment of treatment options, to include a review of currently available screening devices and technologies, appropriate level of baseline testing for a large number of personnel and policy needs; • Review data, findings and conclusions generated by and for the U.S.
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Key Terms

  • standing committee
  • clinical features
  • clinical investigators
  • affected dos
  • unexplained health

  • overseas embassies
  • dos employees
  • potential future
  • overseas locations
  • clinical providers

  • future incidents
  • plausible mechanisms
  • individual patients
  • ascertain potential
  • evaluate current

  • dos abreast
  • relevant scientific
  • mystery surrounding
  • reviewed records
  • inform government

  • clinical presentation
  • proposed plausible
  • critical issues
  • time following
  • head pressure

  • broad statement
  • issues including
  • sudden onset
  • emerging concerns
  • future management


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