An investigation by the US government's National Institutes of Health (NIH) into Havana syndrome – the seemingly mysterious illness that struck down US and Canadian diplomats in Cuba and then around the world – has been halted after it emerged that study participants had been forced to participates.
Hammer and nails | Episode 8, THE SOUND: Mystery of Havana Syndrome (Podcast)
On Friday, CNN noted that some CIA employees previously claimed they had been strong-armed into having brain scans and other tests done on them to determine what was apparently harming their health. Only by participating in the research study would these workers be eligible to receive medical care, it was reported.
A CIA spokesperson told CNN that it takes "any allegation of coercion, or perceived coercion, extremely seriously and cooperated fully with NIH's review of this matter, and has offered access to any information requested."
The NIH confirmed to The Register on Monday that it had halted its Havana syndrome study out of "an abundance of caution" after an independent review concluded that some degree of "coercion" took place, which violated the research agency's ethics rules. Reading between the lines, what CIA employees said, if true, would at least be coercion in the eyes of the NIH.
