1. BMJ 2013;347:f6247 doi: 10.1136/bmj.f6247 (Published 22 October 2013)
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Letters
LETTERS
BIRTH DEFECTS IN IRAQ
Is the Iraqi birth defects report believable?
Mozhgan Savabieasfahani public health researcher
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
A report on the World Health Organization website now claims
no evidence of adverse birth outcomes in Iraq.1 The undisclosed
criteria for recruiting participants into this study “included areas
that had and had not been exposed to bombardment or heavy
fighting.”
In March 2013, a BBC documentary interviewed Ministry of
Health researchers in Baghdad.2 Contrary to current claims,
these researchers talked about the alarming rise in birth defects
and cancers in Iraq. Dr Chaseb Ali, a senior Ministry of Health
official, said: “All studies done by the Ministry of Health prove
with damning evidence that there has been a rise in birth defects
and cancers” in Iraq. In “Nineveh, Anbar, and Najaf” cancers
and birth defects are increasing simultaneously, we are told.
How did “damning evidence” for an increase in birth defects
and cancers turn into “no clear evidence” just six months later?
Even though data analysis is prone to variations in output, which
can lead to changes in conclusions, it is difficult to know how
a change of this magnitude might have occurred. On the basis
of data in this report, misclassification and measurement errors
cannot be ruled out. Nor can we rule out selection bias. The
exposure status of the study populations was unknown
throughout the report. How can a change in adverse reproductive
outcomes be evaluated when exposure is unknown?
WHO’s history of suppressing information from Iraq is
disquieting.3 Dr Keith Baverstock, the lead author of a WHO
report that linked use of depleted uranium by the US and UK
in Iraq to long term health risks, says his report was “deliberately
suppressed.”4
Hans von Sponeck, former UN assistant secretary general, told
Radio New Zealand on 22 September 2013 that WHO’s report
on birth defects was “whitewashed.”5
Competing interests: None declared.
Full response at: www.bmj.com/content/333/7576/990.2/rr/666476.
1
2
3
4
5
WHO. Summary report on the congenital birth defects study in Iraq. 2013. www.emro.
who.int/irq/iraq-news/summary-report-on-the-congenital-birth-defects-study-in-iraq.html.
BBC News. “Our world,” born under a bad sign. 2013 Mar 24. https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=-W5TvnYaeN4.
Dyer O. WHO suppressed evidence on effects of depleted uranium, expert says. BMJ
2006;333:990.2.
Cromwell D. “Damning evidence” becomes “no clear evidence”: much-delayed report on
congenital birth defects in Iraq. 2013. www.medialens.org/index.php/alerts/alert-archive/
alerts-2013/741-damning-evidence-becomes-no-clear-evidence-much-delayed-reporton-congenital-birth-defects-in-iraq.html.
Wayne Brittenden’s counterpoint—a new WHO report. 2013. Radio New Zealand. www.
radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2570147/wayne-brittenden%27scounterpoint-a-new-who-report.
Cite this as: BMJ 2013;347:f6247
© BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2013
mozhgan@umich.edu
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