Uranium is both a chemical and a radioactive material. Uranium’s chemical toxicity is the principal health concern of depleted uranium (DU) exposure because some forms of uranium can potentially cause damage in the kidneys. A few people have developed signs of kidney disease after intake of large amounts of uranium, but this has not been found in those Service members with the greatest DU exposures from embedded DU fragments. Uranium’s radiological hazards generally are of less concern, because both natural and depleted uranium (which is 40% less radioactive than the natural form) are only weakly radioactive. Although there is a chance of developing cancer from a radioactive material, no human cancer of any type has been seen as a result of exposure to either natural or depleted uranium. More detailed information on the chemical effects and radiation effects are included in other sections of this website.

DOD Evaluation of the Effects of Depleted Uranium on Health

In 1993, the DOD and the VA instituted a medical surveillance program for depleted uranium exposures occurring during the 1991 Gulf War. Since then the VA Medical Center in Baltimore, through its DU Medical Follow-up Program has been evaluating almost 80 survivors of friendly fire incidents involving DU during in the 1991 Gulf War. They are invited for comprehensive medical evaluations every two years. About one-fourth currently have embedded fragments of DU, and many have marked elevations of uranium in their urine. To date, there have been no adverse clinical effects noted in these individuals related to DU; specifically, there has been no kidney damage, leukemia, bone or lung cancer, or other uranium-related health effects. No babies born to this group have had birth defects. The VA plans to continue monitoring these individuals indefinitely.

What do other organizations say about the health effects of DU?

Scientific agencies outside the DOD and the VA have reviewed the evidence and determined that DU posed minimal risk to human health. Each of the following agencies have completed studies and concluded there there is no evidence that DU causes cancer:

• Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
• RAND Corporation
• Institute of Medicine
• United Kingdom Royal Society
• European Commission
• World Health Organization 

NATO also reported no relationship between exposure to DU in Europe and health problems potentially attributable to radioactivity. >>Learn More 

The United Kingdom has stated that there is no reliable scientific or medical evidence to link DU with ill health of veterans of conflict in either the Persian Gulf or Balkans, or of people living in these regions. Many independent reports have been published and have failed to detect a relationship between DU exposure and illness, and none has found widespread DU contamination sufficient to impact the health of the general population or deployed personnel. >>Learn More

In a 1999 study conducted by the RAND Corporation, the authors stated: “(N)o evidence is documented in the literature of cancer or any other negative health effect related to the radiation received from exposure to depleted or natural uranium, whether inhaled or ingested, even at very high doses.”