Four soldiers, including one from Colchester, are threatening to sue the Ministry of Defence after claiming to develop depression, eczema and breathing difficulties as a result of the vaccinations they had before the recent war in Iraq.
The 45,000 British soldiers serving in Iraq were vaccinated to protect against chemical and biological weapons.
The Ministry of Defence said that it did not know of the four soldiers' cases but there is a screening programme to identify any symptoms early.
King's College in London is screening soldiers independently of the MoD.
Solicitor Mark McGhee, who is representing the four, said the symptoms the individuals were experiencing were identical to those of others he was representing in connection with the first Gulf War.
Charles Plumridge, senior co-ordinator of the National Gulf Veterans and Families Association, and who served in the 1991 Gulf War, said: "We've got to question the government's policy on the mixture of vaccinations."
Published Tuesday, May 27, 2003
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