Chemical and biological warfare experts develop new anti nerve gas patch

Chemical and biological warfare experts have developed new protection to replace controversial tablets at the centre of the Gulf War Syndrome row. NAPS - nerve agent pre-treatment tablets - were taken every eight hours by British troops to protect against possible Iraqi chemical attacks in the 1991 conflict.

Now, the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency has revealed plans to equip troops with a skin patch, similar to a smoker's patch, impregnated with new drugs, hyoscine and physostigmine. Dr Rick Hall, chief scientist at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down, said the new drugs provided much more effective protection than existing NAPS tablets.