THE immediate humanitarian priorities in Iraq must be to distribute food and clean water to those in need and to try and restore the health system to some kind of normality. But once this emergency subsides, there is another health issue that needs urgent attention - clearing up the uncertainties over the long-term impact of depleted uranium. Iraq offers a unique opportunity for helping resolve the issue - but there is a catch. To be of real value, any studies must begin as soon as possible. Delay will dilute the results and disadvantage not only Iraqi civilians but also the soldiers who have been exposed to DU.

DU is a formidable part of coalition forces' armouries. Shells tipped with the super-dense metal were used extensively in the Gulf war of 1991, which left parts of Iraq littered with the stuff. Saddam Hussein's government portrayed it as a chemical weapon and ...