Dr. Moss' Timeline

Summer, 1990  Hired as a Research Associate with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Gainesville, Florida, to look at how insecticides work and how to improve their potency.

January, 1993  As part of a project looking at how Boric Acid kills insects, Dr. Moss mixed Boric Acid with organophosphates (which are similar to nerve gas), and found an interaction between the two.

September, 1993  Mixed a class of insecticides called Formamidines with Boric Acid and found synergism between the compounds.

November, 1993  Dr. Moss suspected that DEET (N,N,diethyl-M-toluamide), had actions similar to the Formamidines he was testing, because Formamidines and DEET had a similar potency, both were made more toxic by the same types of compounds and both were repellent. One of the types of compounds that made Formamidines and DEET more toxic were some organophosphates which are similar to nerve gas.

Dr.Moss heard press reports of ill Gulf War veterans and the possible involvement of organophosphates (nerve gas). His concern that DEET could exacerbate the effects of exposure to nerve gas prompted him to notify the Department of Defense, USDA, and a producer of the DEET-containing insect repellent about his preliminary findings.

November, 1993  Became aware that a chemical similar to nerve gas (Pyridostigmine Bromide "PB"), had been given to approximately 250,000 Persian Gulf troops to "protect" them from nerve gas attack.

Began conducting research on the synergistic effects of mixtures of PB, DEET, Permethrin and the Organochlorines, Lindane and DDT, and found interactions among these chemicals.(Publication #5)

November 24, 1993  His superiors at USDA threatened to terminate Dr. Moss' employment if he continued his research, or talked about the research. For details, see the St. Petersburg Times article.

May 6, 1994  Dr. Moss testified before the Veterans' Affairs committee of the United States Senate chaired by Senator Rockefeller. (Transcript - Publication #1) (Staff Report)

July, 1994  Employment contract with USDA was not renewed.

Spring, 1996  Conducted research on mice in cooperation with scientists at the University of Mississippi.

October, 1996  Publication of the "cockroach paper" in the Journal of Economic Entomology. This paper showed that the chemicals DEET, Permethrin and PB, when used together, were more toxic than would be expected from their individual toxicities.(Publication #2)

March, 1997  Presented findings of research conducted in 1996 at the meeting of the Society of Toxicology.(Publication #3)

For further information, see the Dallas Morning News article

August, 1997  Publication of the "mouse paper" in Veterinary and Human Toxicology.This paper showed that the active ingredient in the "nerve gas protection pill" (PB), becomes more toxic in the presence of a stress-induced chemical (adrenaline), and caffeine.(Publication #4)

The Institute of Medicine’s “Gulf War and Health: Physiologic, Psychologic, and Psychosocial Effects of Deployment Related Stress” committee’s take on the fact that a prime suspect in Gulf War Illnesses (pyridostigmine bromide) is made more toxic by the stress induced chemical adrenaline?

Summer, 1997  Contracted to and wrote a report for the U.S. Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Special Investigation Unit on Persian Gulf War Illnesses. The subject was the interactions of the "nerve gas protection pill" (PB), with pesticides.

September, 1998  Publication of the Report of the Special Investigation Unit on Gulf War Illnesses.-- in (Publication #5)

September 13, 1998  Awarded the Florida Distinguished Service Medal by the Governer of the State of Florida for Meritorious Service to Florida National Guard Persian Gulf War veterans.Press Release

Winter, 2001  Publication of  the paper "Many Gulf War Illnesses may be autoimmune disorders caused by the chemical and biological stressors pyridostigmine bromide, and adrenaline".  Medical Hypotheses  56 (2) (February): 155-157.

2002 Confirmation that pyridostigmine bromide, DEET, permethrin and "Stress" (at doses similar to those encountered by Gulf War troops) can cause neurological damage.

2003 Confirmation that pyridostigmine bromide, DEET, permethrin and "Stress" (at doses similar to those encountered by Gulf War troops) can cause damage to organs other than the nervous system.

November 2008 On Monday, Nov. 17 , 2008  the Congressionally-mandated Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses  released a landmark report that concluded Gulf War illnesses are real, and that the two main causes were pyridostigmine bromide (PB) pills used to protect troops from nerve gas and the pesticides (like DEET) used to protect from insects. The report (on page 168) also identified Duke University researchers as "Investigators who first identified synergistic effects of combined exposure to PB and pesticides".  Not true, I did that.

December 2008   Update on the postulated mechanism that Gulf War Illnesses .  

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