The call has gone out for Australian veterans of the Gulf War to get involved in the Gulf War Health Study after a disappointing initial response to invitations to take part.

The study has been commissioned by the Departments of Defence and Veterans' Affairs to build a comprehensive picture of the health of ADF members who served during the war and in associated operations in the Persian Gulf.

The study team from Monash University plans to interview and medically examine all 1,862 members identified in the Gulf War Veterans Nominal Roll. Their health and medical history will then be compared to a similar number of ADF members, with matching age and gender profiles, who did not serve in the Gulf.

After a successful pilot program to test the study arrangements the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) started writing to study candidates in September, inviting them to take part. DVA aims to contact all veterans and members of the non-Gulf cohort by March 2001.

However, the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence, Mr Bruce Scott, has revealed that with about 2,600 letters already sent less than one-third of the candidates have responded.

"In order to obtain a meaningful result from the study we need to include as many Gulf War veterans as possible," Mr Scott said.

"The ongoing health of Gulf War veterans is an important issue and I would hope to see the overwhelming majority of veterans getting behind this project to build a comprehensive picture of their health."

Any Gulf war veterans who want to register for the Gulf War Health Study before they receive their letter can also call the toll free hotline on 1800 502 302 or e-mail gulfwar.healthstudy@dva.gov.au