Statement by the Cuban Society of Neurology and Neurosurgery

Statement by the Cuban Society of Neurology and Neurosurgery. Spanish

Havana, November 10, 2017

The Cuban Society of Neurology and Neurosurgery has always been willing and will continue to, as part of the international community of neurologists, neurosurgeons and other related disciplines, show their work results, exchange ideas and contribute knowledge, whose final result is the development of neurosciences in the world.

As has been reported by different media outlets, the US government has notified to the Cuban authorities of the alleged occurrence of «acoustic attacks» against some officials of its embassy in Havana. Among the symptoms that have been reported are: headache, vertigo, balance disorders, memory disorders and brain concussion, which motivated several neurologists to be part of the Committee of Cuban Experts that investigated these reports.

This Experts Committee comprised other medical and technical disciplines. Taking into account that the sound levels did not even reached 80dB and none of the patients reported temporal loss of consciousness, it was categorically concluded that it is not possible for any of the affected to have suffered a head concussion. We also concluded that no sound source could provoke such health problems. It is likely some of the diplomats and their family members might have had the rests of the symptoms described as a result of other medical conditions, but none of the causes can explain the group of symptoms in all the reported cases.

Factoring in this situation, with modesty, we want to express our scientific concern regarding the use of such pretexts to adopt political decisions in an attempt to affect relations among science professional. It is important people know we have been, at all times, willing to assist those patients and jointly research everything that has happened, but the American authorities have not allowed a scientific cooperation and medical information is scarce and vague.

Science must lay plans to find solutions to problems through scientific methods. Therefore, those ideas, opinions, suggestions and actions that can be done would be of great help to clarify the etiology and real diagnosis of the affected people, thus protecting the academic exchange between our societies and scientists.

Cuban Society of Neurology and Neurosurgery.