The Ministry of Defence has launched a new UK-wide epidemiological study into cancer incidence among serving personnel and veterans, marking a significant step in improving the long-term health of those who serve and have served.
The study will examine cancer incidence among individuals who have served since 1990 by drawing on existing NHS records.
The new study is not being launched in response to any specific concern, and presently there is no indication that any particular group within the Armed Forces community is disproportionately at risk.
Instead, the study aims to strengthen the evidence base in the UK and improve understanding of cancer incidence across the Armed Forces population over the long term. It will initially look at the Armed Forces community as a whole before moving on to examine specific occupational groups and cohorts in greater detail. This staged approach is intended to improve both understanding and data collection, while helping to identify any future risk factors at an early stage.
The findings will also help inform future improvements in service safety, care for current personnel and compensation arrangements for those affected. The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme marks its 21st year and the study is expected to play an important role in supporting the evidence base for conditions that emerge years after service.
Where an increased cancer risk and a causal link to service are identified, the findings could help support compensation claims. The government says that annual publication of the findings, starting next year, will ensure that results are shared transparently and that the Armed Forces community can see the evidence as it emerges, rather than waiting years for a final report.
The Minister for Veterans and People, Calvin Bailey MBE MP, said:
“Our Armed Forces community sacrifice so much, and they deserve to know that we are looking out for them – not just during their service, but for life. This study is about doing right by our people.
If there are links between military service and cancer, we will find them, and we will act and if we do not, we will remove the doubt from their minds with clear and published evidence. That is what renewing the nation’s contract with those who serve and have served really means.”
This study is a welcome development in the ongoing effort to better understand the long-term health impacts of military service. By improving the evidence base and publishing findings annually, it has the potential to provide greater clarity, stronger support for those affected, and a more informed approach to health, safety and compensation for the Armed Forces community.
We already act for serving personnel and veterans who believe they have been exposed to toxic exhaust fumes from military helicopters, particularly Sea King aircraft, and who say that exposure has caused serious illness including cancer, respiratory problems and neurological harm.
