kwells travel sickness 12 chewable tablets

<span class="pink"><strong>Order before 8pm</strong></span> Monday - Friday for next day delivery (excludes English Bank Holidays). Orders placed between <span class="pink"><strong>8pm Friday and 8pm Monday</strong></span> will arrive on Tuesday.<!-- Orders placed on Saturday after 10am or anytime on Sunday will arrive by Tuesday-->

<span class="pink"><strong>Order before 8pm</strong></span> - Available to collect in-store in <span class="pink"><strong>3 - 4 working days.</strong></span><br /><br />We will email you when your order is available to pick up, please wait to receive an email before going to the store.

<span class="pink"><strong>Order before 5pm</strong></span> Monday - Friday (4.30pm in Northern Ireland) and collect next day in-store. Orders placed on Friday after 5pm, Saturday or Sunday will be available to collect by Tuesday.<br /><br /> We will email you when your order is available to pick up, please wait to receive an email before going to the store.<br /> <br /><b>Please note</b>: We are unable to offer this service to some of our stores in Highlands and Islands and some parts of Northern Ireland - <a target="_blank" href="/delInfo"><span class="pink"><b>click here</b></span></a> to see which stores. Please do not select this option for these stores.

Order online and collect from <span class="pink"><strong>30 minutes</strong></span> if your items are in stock in your chosen store (<i>* during store opening hours</i>) <br class="clear"> <p class="sdg-logisticslite"><span class="dg-logisticslite_bold">Quick Pick Up In-Store is Logistics Lite</span><br>meaning when you pick up instore you are helping us to reduce our emissions by reducing the number of deliveries we have to make to our customers across our logistics network

Your eGiftCard(s) will be delivered by email

<span class="pink"><strong>Order before 8pm</strong></span> - For delivery arriving in&nbsp;<span class="pink"><strong>3 - 4 working days</strong></span>.<br /><br />FREE Standard Delivery for registered <span class="green"><strong>Health</strong></span> &amp; <span class="pink"><strong>Beauty</strong>card</span> customers will be added at the last stage of check out. £20 minimum spend required. UK &amp; Ireland only.<br /><br /><span class="pink"><strong>Free</strong></span> for <span class="green"><strong>Health</strong></span> &amp; <span class="pink"><strong>Beauty</strong>card</span> members when you spend £20 or more.<br /><span class="pink"><strong>Free</strong></span> for non-members when you spend £25 or more.<br />All other orders £4.50

Order online and collect from <span class="pink"><strong>30 minutes</strong></span> if your items are in stock in your chosen store (<i>* during store opening hours</i>) <br class="clear"> <p class="sdg-logisticslite"><span class="dg-logisticslite_bold">Quick Pick Up In-Store is Logistics Lite</span><br>meaning when you pick up instore you are helping us to reduce our emissions by reducing the number of deliveries we have to make to our customers across our logistics network <span class="pickup-delivery-info__pickup-details"> <hr /> <span class="pink"><strong>Don't want to leave the house?</strong></span> Once your order is confirmed you may be able to arrange for your order to be delivered from the store to your door with <img alt="Stuart" src="https://media.superdrug.com/medias/sys_master/images/h96/h04/9007972778014/stuart-logo/stuart-logo.png" class="sdg-stuartdeliveryicons" />. Available to selected postcodes between 11am and 4pm. (<i>Delivery charges apply, check store opening times before booking</i>) </span> <span class="pickup-delivery-info__links"> <a class="pickup-delivery-info__link" href="/stuart-delivery" target="_blank"><strong>Click here to find out how it works &gt;</strong></a> <a class="pickup-delivery-info__link" href="/store-finder#search-stores" target="_blank"><strong>Find out which stores we deliver from &gt;</strong></a> </span>

Healthdirect Free Australian health advice you can count on.

Medical problem? Call 1800 022 222. If you need urgent medical help, call triple zero immediately

healthdirect Australia is a free service where you can talk to a nurse or doctor who can help you know what to do.

Share via email

There is a total of 5 error s on this form, details are below.

• Please enter your name
• Please enter your email
• Your email is invalid. Please check and try again
• Please enter recipient's email
• Recipient's email is invalid. Please check and try again
• Agree to Terms required

Error: This is required

Error: Not a valid value

Brand name: Kwells TM

Active ingredients: hyoscine hydrobromide

Choose your pack

What it is used for

For the prevention of travel sickness .

How to take it

The way to take this medicine is: Oral. This medicine is taken by mouth.

• Store below 30 degrees Celsius
• Shelf lifetime is 3 Years.

You should seek medical advice in relation to medicines and use only as directed by a healthcare professional.

Always read the label. If symptoms persist see your healthcare professional.

Visual appearance

Pale pink, biplanar, bevelled edges with crossed break bars on top surface.

Do I need a prescription?

What is the medicines and poisons schedule.

This medicine is available from a pharmacy without prescription. It is Schedule 2 : Pharmacy Medicine. open tool tip to find out more

This medicine contains the active ingredients:

• hyoscine hydrobromide

If you are over 65 years of age, there may be specific risks and recommendations for use of this medicine. Please discuss your individual circumstances with your pharmacist, doctor or health professional. For more information read our page on medication safety for older people .

Pregnant or planning a pregnancy?

For the active ingredient hyoscine hydrobromide

You should seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist about taking this medicine. They can help you balance the risks and the benefits of this medicine during pregnancy.

Reporting side effects

You can help ensure medicines are safe by reporting the side effects you experience.

You can report side effects to your doctor, or directly at www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems

For the prevention of travel sickness

• Store below 25 degrees Celsius
• Shelf lifetime is 36 Months.

Small pink circular flat faced tablet with bevelled edges and a single break bar on one side

Healthdirect 24hr 7 days a week hotline

24 hour health advice you can count on

1800 022 222

Government Accredited with over 140 information partners

We are a government-funded service, providing quality, approved health information and advice

Healthdirect Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners and to Elders both past and present.

© 2024 Healthdirect Australia Limited

Support for this browser is being discontinued

Support for this browser is being discontinued for this site

• Internet Explorer 11 and lower

We currently support Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox and Safari. For more information, please visit the links below:

• Chrome by Google
• Firefox by Mozilla
• Microsoft Edge
• Safari by Apple

You are welcome to continue browsing this site with this browser. Some features, tools or interaction may not work correctly.

Free shipping on orders over $69

Store Locator

• New ⌄
• Brands ⌄
• Pharmacy ⌄
• Vitamins ⌄
• Healthfoods ⌄
• Wellness ⌄
• Beauty ⌄
• Sustainable Living ⌄
• Baby ⌄
• Health Services ⌄
• Our Story ⌄
• Catalogue ⌄
• WholeLife Vibe ⌄
• Store Locator ⌄
• Join Us ⌄
• Get Ranged ⌄
• Contact Us ⌄
• E-Scripts ⌄
• Our Blog ⌄

No shipping option selected.

Book your Flu or COVID-19 Vaccination >

• Motion Sickness

Travel Sickness 12 Chewable Tablets

Travel Sickness Prevention.

*This product is not available in our WholeLife Healthfoods Markets stores but can be purchased through any WholeLife Pharmacy & Healthfoods store

**Please note this is a Pharmacy Medicine**

Always read the label and follow the directions for use. Ask your pharmacist about this product. Incorrect use could be harmful.

Description

Ingredients.

• Reviews (0)

Get your travel sickness under control. Use Kwells for the prevention of travel sickness for adults and children 12 years and over. Take Kwells, atleast 30 minutes before travelling. – Suitable for use when travelling by boat, car, coach, plane or train. – Tablet can be sucked, chewed or swallowed. – Caffeine free

There are no reviews yet.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Your review  *

Name  *

Email  *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Each tablet contains: Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) as thiamine phosphate acid ester chloride dihydrate 15mg Riboflavine (Vitamin B2) as riboflavine sodium phosphate 15mg Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 50mg Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5) as calcium pantothenate 23mg Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6) 10mg Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12) 10 ug Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) 500mg Biotin (Vitamin H) 150 ug Folic Acid 400 ug Calcium (as calcium carbonate and calcium pantothenate) 100mg Magnesium (as magnesium carbonate and magnesium sulfate dihydrate) 100mg Zinc (as zinc citrate trihydrate) 10mg

ADULTS AND CHILDREN OVER 12 YEARS: Take 1 to 2 tablets. Repeat every 4 to 6 hours if necessary. Do not exceed 4 tablets in 24 hours. Tablets may be sucked, chewed or swallowed. All doses should be taken 30 minutes before travelling or at onset of nausea. Do not use in children under 12 years.

Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional.

FREE SHIPPING OVER $119 + NEXT DAY EXPRESS LOCAL DELIVERY AVAILABLE! 🚚

• $ 0.00 0 items

Kwells Travel Sickness Prevention 12 Chewable Tablets

Out of stock

Want to be notified when this product is back in stock?

Kwells is for the prevention of travel sickness for adults and children 12 years and over. Don’t let travel sickness ruin your plans, travel with confidence knowing that you have your travel sickness under control with Kwells.

12 Chewable Tablets

Description

Additional information.

• Reviews (0)

Adults and Children over 12 years: Take 1 to 2 tablets. Repeat every 4 to 6 hours if necessary. Do not exceed 4 tablets in 24 hours.

Tablets may be sucked, chewed or swallowed. All doses should be taken 30 minutes before travelling or at onset of nausea.

Ingredients

Active Ingredient per tablet: Hyoscine Hydrobromide…300 micrograms

Contains Saccharin Sodium.

This medication may cause drowsiness and blurring of vision. If affected, do not drive a vehicle or operate machinery. Avoid Alcohol. Do not take during pregnancy. Children who havbe been given Kwells should not be left unattended.

Do not use if blister seal is broken. Store below 25°C. Protect from light.

There are no reviews yet.

Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.

Related products

TravaCalm Travel Band

Gaviscon Dual Action 12 x 10mL Liquid Sachets – Peppermint

Sea-Band 10 Ginger Capsules

Privacy overview.

• Скидки дня
• Справка и помощь
• Адрес доставки Идет загрузка... Ошибка: повторите попытку ОК
• Продажи
• Список отслеживания Развернуть список отслеживаемых товаров Идет загрузка... Войдите в систему , чтобы просмотреть свои сведения о пользователе
• Краткий обзор
• Недавно просмотренные
• Ставки/предложения
• Список отслеживания
• История покупок
• Купить опять
• Объявления о товарах
• Сохраненные запросы поиска
• Сохраненные продавцы
• Сообщения
• Уведомление
• Развернуть корзину Идет загрузка... Произошла ошибка. Чтобы узнать подробнее, посмотрите корзину.

Product Key Features

• Dosage 1 Tablet
• Type Nausea Treatment

Nothing Like These Meds!!

I travel and live on a sailboat for 5 weeks in the summer months. I suffer from seasickness. I have tried every other product imaginable, and everything on the market. Kwells is the ONLY medication that helps me. I couldn't live without out---I would be miserable and my vacation would be a disaster. Thank you, Kwells!!

It’s a good product at a decent price

I only just received it a few days ago and haven’t had the opportunity to use the product. My favorable response is based on personal knowledge of friends that use it.

I love to fish offshore, and Kwells is my answer! Dramamine and Bonine don’t work for mr, and the scopolamine patch, while effective, has some strong side effects. I’ve taken Kwells on trips where we are buried in the trough all day and feel great!

Best Motion Sickness Product

After discovering Kwells while traveling in Ireland, I carry a package of this product with me everywhere. I can travel freely on boats, planes, coaches, and cars without worrying about experiencing motion sickness, which can ruin a fun experience. Additionally, I periodically suffer from vertigo. Once I feel it starting, then I take Kwells and I feel much better. It doesn't make me feel drowsy like Dramamine or Meclizine (25 mg). The only side effect is a dry mouth, so I keep mints with me or drink some water. Otherwise, this is an excellent product for motion sickness.

• COLD & FLU
• DEMAZIN – Cold & Flu
• DIFFLAM – Sore Throat
• DURO-TUSS – Cough
• NYAL – Pain, Cold & Flu
• HAYFEVER & ALLERGY
• DEMAZIN – Allergy & Hayfever
• SUN & SKIN
• DERMAVEEN – Dry & Sensitive Skin
• INVISIBLE ZINC – Mineral Sunscreens
• REEF – Sunscreen Oils
• VERMOX – Worming Solutions
• HIPREX – Urinary Tract Infection
• KWELLS – TRAVEL SICKNESS
• VIRASOLVE – Cold Sore

Kwells Kids

For the prevention of travel sickness.

Kwells Kids is for the prevention of travel sickness for children 2-12 years. Don't let travel sickness ruin your plans, travel with confidence knowing that you have travel sickness under control with Kwells Kids.

• 12 Chewable Tablets

Each tablet contains Hyoscine hydrobromide 150 micrograms.

Tablets may be sucked, chewed or swallowed. Tablets to be taken up to 30 minutes before the start of the journey to prevent travel sickness, or at the onset of nausea.

CHILDREN 8 TO 12 YEARS: Take 1 to 2 tablets. Repeat every 4 to 6 hours if necessary. Do not exceed 4 tablets in 24 hours.

CHILDREN 2 TO 7 YEARS: Take ½ tablet. Repeat every 4 to 6 hours if necessary. Do not exceed 2 tablets in 24 hours.

Do not use in children under 2 years of age.

Always read the label. Contains Sulfites. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional.

Caution: Do not use in children under 2 years of age. This medication may cause drowsiness and blurring of vision. Children who have been given Kwells ® Kids should not be left unattended. Contains saccharin and sulfites. Do not use if blister seal is broken.

What you need to know about coronavirus. Stay informed.

Coronavirus updates

Personal Memberships

• Travel Services Rescue, medevac, advisory & security
• TotalCare Telehealth Travel services membership plus telehealth
• Business Travel Risk Mitigation For businesses, universities & associations
• Duty of Care Intelligence, medical & security management
• New GRID Travel intelligence & tracking platform

Partners & Affiliates

• Become a Partner For outfitters, guides and other travel associations
• Become An Affiliate For bloggers, educators and other content creators
• Partner Login
• Blog Travel tales + tips
• Travel Intelligence Center Advisories + alerts
• News & PR Global Rescue news

Categories:

June 13, 2014

Share This:

What to Pack in a First-Aid Kit

Global Rescue travelers have learned many useful skills during their adventures. Despite the obvious utility of those skills though, an equally important skill, is knowing what to pack in an everyday, travel-friendly first-aid kit.

Global Rescue travelers have learned many useful skills during their adventures. From appreciating cream and sugar yet being able to drink black coffee, to knowing how to sew a button or mend a pair of pants, the list is plentiful. Despite the obvious utility of those skills though, another equally important skill, is knowing what to pack in an everyday, travel-friendly first-aid kit. 

All destinations have inherent differences just as each individual traveler has his or her own unique differences. Evaluate your own personal needs and the parameters of your travel to find the items or build the kit that best suits you.

An easy starting point is to look for a commercial off-the-shelf product. There are several high-quality kits out there that cover trips of different duration and are designed for the needs of the solo traveler up through the expedition group.  

The alternative to a commercial product is to build your own.

Global Rescue has customized its own list of must-have items over the years, always including commonly needed items plus a few medicines. When possible, it’s best to try to use only items that serve more than one purpose, including medications.

While it is impractical to pack for every single contingency, it is possible to create a small, packable kit full of highly useful items that takes up very little space in your backpack. Most travel emergencies do not require a combat medic-style kit –  quite the opposite. Blisters, minor soft tissue injuries (scrapes and cuts), orthopedic injuries (ankle sprains) and stomach ailments are some of the more frequently encountered issues that can all be addressed with a well-stocked kit. 

The following is a list of items we recommend for every trip, whether you’re going to Switzerland or Nigeria. The list is also designed as a personal kit for individual use, as a majority of the items can be carried in a small zippered pouch.

• Tweezers   –  fine point hard to find a reason NOT to have tweezers
• Tick remover –  yes, a single-use item but very handy if needed and it’s nearly paper thin
• Alcohol pads –  eight is a good amount
• Band-Aids –  about a dozen
• Blister pads –  We suggest the Band-Aid Advanced Healing brand, which works great and stays in place. Carry a few of the regular and finger/toe variety
• Gauze pads – a few small 2 or 3-inch pads
• Super glue –  for minor skin tears it’s not ideal, but works in a pinch and is also good for getting a few more miles out of your shoes
• Cravats –  Carry two standard size triangular bandages. There is very little you can’t splint or bandage with two well-placed cravats.  Too many other uses to list.
• Ibuprofen 400mg –  pain reliever, inflammation, minor fever reducer
• Ondansetron 8mg ODT –  anti-emetic, these dissolve on your tongue, great for nausea and vomiting
• Cipro 500mg –  gold standard for traveler’s diarrhea, unless you’re in Southeast Asia
• Doxycycline 100mg –  malaria prophylaxis, tick-borne disease, skin infections, a good multipurpose antibiotic
• Pepto Bismol –  chewable tablets, many indications
• Antihistamine –  a non-drowsy type like Zyrtec or Claritin, used for hives, itching, watery eyes, rash, runny nose, and sneezing due to allergies or the common cold. Secondary uses for motion sickness, anxiety, or as a sleep aid
• Sewing kit –  TSA approved for carry-on if needles and scissors are under four inches
• Chapstick, with SPF –  sunscreen for your lips, nose, ears and also useful on zippers or even hot spots
• Iodine tabs –  clean, treated water is a must
• Emergency headlamp  – small in size 
• Duct tape –  wrap about a meter around the outside of the kit
• Consider an Epi-Pen – especially if you or a member of your group have potentially life-threatening allergies

For trips to a more remote setting, you might augment this kit with other items, namely more medications and bandaging materials.

Prior to any trip, it is recommended that you consult with your physician to determine which medications are right for you. This can be done in conjunction with a visit to a travel clinic for vaccines and other destination specific advice.

Despite the fact that many countries require medicines to be transported in their original packaging, several travelers take it upon themselves to repack the items to better fit in their luggage. Many of us are guilty of this but keep in mind that medicine not in the original packaging, especially prescription medications, run a greater risk of being confiscated.

It should be noted that a first-aid kit is not a substitute for proper first-aid training. Everyone has the potential to benefit from some type of first-aid training.

Wilderness First-Aid (WFA) or the more in-depth Wilderness First Responder (WFR – pronounced woofer) are excellent options for travelers. These courses focus on providing care in austere locations with little support and finite resources. Improvising and using common on-hand items is highly stressed all the while adhering to sound medical principles. Check local outfitters and clubs for a course offering near you.

Whether you’re seeking advice or immediate medical or security assistance, Global Rescue operations centers are staffed 24/7/365 to assist our members. Click here  to contact us about the benefits of membership.

Related Posts

Jun 05, 2024 10 mins read

Summer Travel Survival Guide: Staying Safe in the Face of Natural Disasters

May 29, 2024 2 mins read

Chopper Pilot Rescued After Frozen Lake Crash 

May 22, 2024 4 mins read

A Major Shift in Travel Attitudes and Opportunities Is Upon Us

May 15, 2024 8 mins read

Mission Briefs: Global Rescue In Action – May

May 08, 2024 4 mins read

Soft Skills for the International Business Traveler

May 01, 2024 4 mins read

An Altitude Reality Check on Kilimanjaro: The Mountain of Greatness

Apr 24, 2024 8 mins read

Are More Women Traveling Without Men?

Apr 18, 2024 2 mins read

Rescue Experts in Action: Saving High-Altitude Climbers 

General TotalCare Disclaimer:

• ©2024 Global Rescue LLC. TotalCare and the TotalCare logo are service marks of Global Rescue LLC. All Rights Reserved. Global Rescue LLC provides technical and administrative services to Elite Medical Group, P.C. (“Elite Medical”), a professional corporation owned by licensed physicians that employs or contracts with physicians licensed to practice medicine where medical services are provided. It is not guaranteed that a prescription will be written, nor will any DEA controlled substances, non-therapeutic drugs and certain other drugs which may be harmful because of their potential for abuse, as a result of a TotalCare consultation. Elite Medical physicians reserve the right to deny care for potential or actual misuse of services. The Global Rescue Mobile App is designed for operation on the current versions of Android and iOS operating systems. Availability of services is subject to your equipment compatibility, connectivity and signal in your location. There is no guarantee that all features and functionality will be available in your location. Use and availability of the Mobile App is subject to your service provider’s plan and may be subject to additional fees from your provider.

Extended Plan TotalCare SM :

• For individuals 85+, medical transport is not included in membership. Members 85+ may purchase medical transport on a fee for service basis.

Mobile Apps:

• Global Rescue Mobile Apps are designed for operation on the current versions of Android and iOS operating systems. Availability of services is subject to your equipment compatibility, connectivity and signal in your location. There is no guarantee that all features and functionality will be available in your location. Use and availability of the Mobile Apps are subject to your service provider’s plan and may be subject to additional fees from your provider. The download and use of a Global Rescue Mobile App is subject to the terms of your Member Services Agreement and the applicable End User License Agreement (EULA).

Already an Active Member? Login for Full Access

We offer different sightseeing programmes in Moscow and Russia!

Maria moscow tours.

Private tours in Moscow and Russia

Walking tour + Metro

We offer a 4-hour private tour which includes a walking tour around the city center and a metro visit.

• Read details

Panoramic city tour

A 4-hour tour around the city with a private transport and a guide. The best option for the first day in Moscow!

The Kremlin Tour

During the tour you will see the grounds of the Kremlin. We offer a walking tour with a private guide.

Together with a private guide you will see the most famous stations of Moscow underground. The tour lasts about 2h, you will be picked up at the hotel.

The State Tretyakov Gallery

A private tour to the biggest gallery of Russian art, where you can see classical and ancient Russian paintings

Tretyakov Gallery + Metro

A private tour which includes the visit to the biggest Russian art gallery and the excursion to Moscow underground

Kremlin grounds + The Armoury Chamber

Nowadays the Kremlin is the most famous museum in Moscow and the office of Russian President. UNESCO listed architectural ensemble of Moscow Kremlin and the Armoury Chamber as world heritage sites.

Moscow Running Tour

You are welcome to experience the first official running tour with a licensed guide in Moscow! Our tour is about sport and culture, because the guide is not only a local runner who loves this city but also an official Moscow guide, acquainted with its history, art and culture...

Transfers from/to the airport/railway-station

We arrange private transfers for you!

Local family visit

If you want to learn more about modern Russians, you have a chance to visit a real Russian family, see the apartment and have a traditional Russian meal.

Vladimir and Suzdal' Tour

This a 2-day tour to ancient Russian cities located near Moscow: Sergiev Posad, Vladimir and Suzdal. You will have 3 excursions and stay overnight in Vladimir or Suzdal.

Food tour + sightseeing

It is 3h walking tour which includes food tasting and sightseeing programme. You will have a private guide for the tour.

Cancellation policy

If you cancel the tour 15 days or more in advance before the expected date and time of tour operations (local time, Moscow) there is no cancellation fee of prepaid service. If you cancel the tour 14-8 days before the expected date and time of tour operations (local time, Moscow), there is a 50% cancellation fee of prepaid service. If you cancel the tour 7 and less days in advance before the expected date and time of tour operations (local time, Moscow) or do not come to the tour, you will not receive a refund of prepaid service. The refund may take up to 30 days, usually about 3-5 days.

Select date

* You will get an answer on your e-mail, sometimes it automatically marks as spam, please check this folder as well.

+7 909 6903661 [email protected]

Explainer: What’s Behind the Mysterious Illness of U.S. Diplomats and Spies?

Create an FP account to save articles to read later and in the FP mobile app.

ALREADY AN FP SUBSCRIBER? LOGIN

World Brief

• Editors’ Picks
• Africa Brief

China Brief

• Latin America Brief

South Asia Brief

Situation report.

• Flash Points
• War in Ukraine
• Israel and Hamas
• U.S.-China competition
• U.S. election 2024
• Biden's foreign policy
• Trade and economics
• Artificial intelligence
• Asia & the Pacific
• Middle East & Africa

How to Solve the Refugee Crisis

Is capitalism broken, ones and tooze, foreign policy live.

Spring 2024 Issue

Print Archive

FP Analytics

• In-depth Special Reports
• Issue Briefs
• Power Maps and Interactive Microsites
• FP Simulations & PeaceGames
• Graphics Database

FP at NATO’s 75th Summit

Nato in a new era, fp security forum, fp @ unga79.

By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.

Your guide to the most important world stories of the day

Essential analysis of the stories shaping geopolitics on the continent

The latest news, analysis, and data from the country each week

Weekly update on what’s driving U.S. national security policy

Evening roundup with our editors’ favorite stories of the day

One-stop digest of politics, economics, and culture

Weekly update on developments in India and its neighbors

A curated selection of our very best long reads

What’s Behind the Mysterious Illness of U.S. Diplomats and Spies?

Whatever’s causing it, all signs point to moscow..

• Robbie Gramer
• Amy Mackinnon

Beginning in 2016, U.S. diplomats and CIA officials posted abroad, including in Cuba and China, began falling ill with debilitating headaches, vertigo, memory loss, dizziness, and other troubling symptoms. The U.S. government vowed to get to the bottom of the matter, tasking top investigators and scientists to unearth what exactly was going on. 

Now, nearly four years later, they still don’t have answers. But new developments in the mysterious cases have once again brought the issue to light—including new reports in the New York Times and GQ magazine . U.S. officials suspect that whatever is going on, it could be part of a coordinated attack from a U.S. adversary. 

It’s not clear yet what could have caused these symptoms. Theories range from microwave energy weapons to poisoning to mass hysteria. But one thing’s for sure: U.S. officials overseas have suffered debilitating symptoms, and some feel they’re not getting the help they need from the U.S. government. 

Here’s what we know so far. 

Do we know what’s causing this?

In a word, no. But officials and scientists are narrowing in on a few theories, including the use of microwave weapons. In 2018, a team of doctors published a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association that found the diplomats affected in Cuba had sustained brain injuries similar to those caused by concussion, but had no recent history of head trauma. 

The study’s lead author, Douglas H. Smith, the director of the Penn Center for Brain Injury and Repair at the Perelman School of Medicine, told the New York Times later that year that while there was skepticism at first, there was increasing suspicion that the diplomats’ brains had been affected by microwaves. 

The U.S. military has developed its own prototypes of directed energy weapons that can deliver nonlethal charges. But the U.S. military’s system is as big as a truck  and takes hours to power up—a bit too conspicuous outside a diplomat’s apartment in Havana. 

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union bombarded the U.S. Embassy in Moscow with microwaves for decades, what came to be known as the Moscow signal. They weren’t mind-control devices but a way to activate listening bugs implanted in the walls of the embassy. 

“The Soviets, in the bad old days like the 1970s, were using a lot of high-energy devices to actually do technical collection operations. But it turned out that if you cranked them up too high, it would also have negative health impacts. My assumption was always that that’s probably some version of that is what’s going on in China, and Russia, and Cuba,” said Steven Hall, a former CIA station chief in Moscow, who retired from the agency in 2015. 

There are other theories: toxins, or even mass hysteria. Canadian diplomats based in Cuba also sustained mysterious brain injuries around the same time as their U.S. counterparts. A study commissioned by the Canadian government pointed to side effects of chemicals used in fumigation against mosquitoes, noting that the diplomats’ brain damage occurred in an area that is susceptible to neurotoxins. Others suspect a mass psychogenic illness, where people from a tight-knit group convince themselves that they have developed similar symptoms, what one professor described to Vanity Fair as a kind of “ placebo effect in reverse .” But the authors of the 2018 report noted that some of the symptoms experienced by the diplomats could not have been feigned, and that cases of mass psychogenic illness tend to pass quickly. 

The best hope of an answer may lie with a study conducted by the National Academy of Sciences. Commissioned by the State Department last spring, the academy convened neurologists, experts in electrical engineering, toxicologists, and epidemiologists. 

The committee submitted its report to the State Department in early August, but it has not yet been released to lawmakers or the public. “It’s been extremely frustrating to me and my colleagues, in some ways disheartening, and certainly surprising,” said David Relman, the Stanford University medical professor who chaired the committee. 

Relman couldn’t share the report’s findings, but he said that the committee reviewed four possible explanations for the health effects and found one of them to be the most plausible. “But that’s not to say that necessarily that one mechanism explains everything,” he said. “Because, again, this was really complicated clinically. Lots of people, lots of places, spread out over time.”

When did this begin?

The mysterious illness first garnered public attention in 2017 when a cluster of U.S. officials stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba reported that they had been experiencing hearing loss, dizziness, headaches, fatigue, cognitive issues, and difficulty sleeping. The next year, U.S. diplomats based in China developed symptoms that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told lawmakers were “very similar and entirely consistent with the medical indications that have taken place to Americans working in Cuba.” 

But there is at least one other case that significantly predates the Cuba and China clusters. In 2013, an employee of the National Security Agency named Mike Beck filed a workers’ compensation claim with the Department of Labor claiming that exposure to microwaves while on a trip to a hostile country in 1996 may have caused him to develop Parkinson’s disease at the unusually young age of 46. The agency released a summary of a classified intelligence assessment that found that a country Beck went to was believed to have had a “high-powered microwave system weapon that may have the ability to weaken, intimidate, or kill an enemy over time and without leaving evidence.” The New York Times reported that people familiar with the assessment said that the country in question was Russia. (The Department of Labor rejected Beck’s claim.)

How has the government responded?

Retaliating against Cuba presented no difficulty, as the Trump administration was already looking to undo former President Barack Obama’s thaw with the island nation. Fifteen Cuban diplomats were expelled from Washington, and the State Department issued a travel warning for American citizens. (The Cuban government has repeatedly denied it had any involvement in the supposed attacks.) In China, the response was far more muted, as Trump was trying to secure a trade deal with Beijing. “They have hung us out to dry,” Mark Lenzi, one of the diplomats affected, told the New York Times . 

Pompeo called the suggestion that political considerations had shaped the administration’s response “patently false” in a press conference Wednesday.

It’s not just China. Marc Polymeropoulos, the CIA’s former deputy chief of operations for Europe and Eurasia, who suffered all the same symptoms after a stay in Moscow in 2017, told GQ about his experience after the agency refused to transfer him for treatment to the Walter Reed military hospital. 

“The U.S. government handled this very poorly,” he told Foreign Policy. “This is like the [National Football League] 15 years ago with [traumatic brain injury], putting their heads in the sand.” 

Who is behind this? 

Suspicion has fallen on the Kremlin, given Russia’s history of using microwave weapons against U.S. officials and its interest in keeping U.S. relations with China and Cuba on ice. Moscow has proved willing to pursue its enemies in the West and is reported to have offered Taliban militants bounties to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. Russia’s foreign ministry denies any connection to the incident in Cuba. 

Yet there are indications. According to GQ , a CIA investigation using cellphone location data found that individuals believed to work for the Russian security services were in the area at the time that U.S. officials in these countries first began experiencing symptoms. But according to the New York Times , senior U.S. officials want to see more evidence before pointing a finger at Moscow.

Amy Mackinnon is a national security and intelligence reporter at Foreign Policy . Twitter:  @ak_mack

Robbie Gramer is a diplomacy and national security reporter at Foreign Policy . Twitter:  @RobbieGramer

The Secret History of Diplomats and Invisible Weapons

The alleged use of a “sound weapon” against U.S. Embassy officials in Cuba harks back to a Cold War medical mystery.

Why Russia Keeps Poisoning People

With a wink and a nod, the Kremlin sends a chilling message to its foes.

Trump Moves Closer to Renewing Nuclear Treaty With Russia

But Russian negotiators still haven’t agreed to stepped-up verification of its nuclear warheads, a major sticking point.

Sign up for Editors' Picks

A curated selection of fp’s must-read stories..

You’re on the list! More ways to stay updated on global news:

Israel Launches Military Campaign in Central Gaza

Modi hits a roadblock, what the west can learn from singapore, ‘somalia on steroids’: sudan conflict escalates, sudanese militias are committing genocide in darfur—again, editors’ picks.

• 1 ‘Somalia on Steroids’: Sudan Conflict Escalates
• 2 The Man Who Tried to Save Israel From Itself
• 3 Why Is Xi Not Fixing China’s Economy?
• 4 Modi’s Power Has Peaked
• 5 Analyzing India’s Election Results

Israel Launches Military Campaign in Central Gaza to Combat Hamas

India election: modi, bjp hit roadblock with lost majority, what the u.s. and britain can learn from singapore, u.s. sudan envoy warns civil war could escalate into regional conflict, darfur genocide: sudan’s rsf is carrying out atrocities in el fasher. the united states can stop the killing., more from foreign policy, why is the world ignoring a looming genocide in sudan.

Aid workers fear a new disaster as militia forces close in on a major Darfur city.

The U.S.-Saudi Agreement Is a Fool’s Errand

For the sake of the international order, Biden must abandon his proposed deal with Riyadh.

The Normalizing of Assad Has Been a Disaster

Syria’s president was welcomed back into the fold a year ago—and everything since then has gotten worse.

The Problem With Invoking the ‘Third World’ Slur

The Trump verdict is the latest prompt for deploying a meaningless comparison. All that does is reflect poorly on the United States.

Why Is Xi Not Fixing China’s Economy?

The man who tried to save israel from itself, modi’s power has peaked, south africa’s era of anc dominance is over.

Sign up for World Brief

FP’s flagship evening newsletter guiding you through the most important world stories of the day, written by Alexandra Sharp . Delivered weekdays.