A report from the Institute of Medicine’s Committee on the Long-Term Health Consequences of Exposure to Burn Pits in Iraq and Afghanistan concludes there are insufficient data to determine whether exposure to open-air burn pits cause long-term health effects in service members. David Tollerud, MD, MPH, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Information Sciences, chaired the committee. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs sponsored the study published Oct. 31, 2011.

IOM Report: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13209

IOM press release: http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=13209

ABC News Online
Military Burn Pits: 'Inconclusive' Evidence It Is Unhealthy
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/WellnessNews/military-burn-pits-respiratory-problems-inconclusive-evidence/story?id=14849373  

Wall Street Journal
Data Lacking to Blame Trash Pits for Soldiers' Ills
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204394804577009763833388348.html?mod=googlenews_wsj  

USA Today
Study: Health effects from military burn pits inconclusive
http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/story/2011-10-31/military-burn-pits-Iraq/51013236/1

Army Times - Marine Corps Times – Air Force Times – Navy Times
More data needed on burn pits, report says
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2011/10/military-burn-pits-report-103111w/

Stars & Stripes
Burn pit study inconclusive on health effects http://www.stripes.com/blogs/stripes-central/stripes-central-1.8040/burn-pit-study-inconclusive-on-health-effects-1.159357