The CARE Study: Helping Veterans Find Relief through Acupuncture

Years after their service, many Gulf War veterans still navigate the invisible challenges of pain, fatigue, and memory difficulties. Nearly 200,000 veterans continue to face these chronic symptoms, collectively known as Gulf War Illness. Their experiences are driving a new collaborative effort, the CARE Study, which brings together researchers from the University of Utah, Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the University of California, Berkeley. Supported by the Department of Defense, the study examines whether acupuncture can reduce pain and improve physical function for veterans with Gulf War Illness, while also exploring biological mechanisms related to inflammation and the autonomic nervous system. 

This multi-site study spans three universities and four researchers, aiming to confirm and expand on earlier evidence that individualized, appropriately dosed acupuncture can significantly reduce pain and physical disability in veterans with Gulf War Illness. At the University of Utah College of Nursing, Lisa Taylor-Swanson, associate professor and licensed acupuncturist, leads the Utah site and serves as principal investigator. She is joined by submitting principal investigator, Lisa Conboy, Instructor in Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Harvard-affiliated hospital, and by Michael Conboy, principal investigator, at the University of California, Berkeley. 

Together, the team combines expertise in integrative care, mind-body research, molecular biology, and systemic aging. Their collaboration grew from long-standing professional and personal connections: Lisa Conboy has studied Gulf War Illness for nearly two decades; her brother, Michael Conboy, focuses on biological repair and aging; and Taylor-Swanson has collaborated on science with Lisa Conboy for over a decade and brings her additional expertise in acupuncture. What began as casual holiday conversations among the Conboys about shared interests in veterans’ health and acupuncture evolved into a coordinated research partnership spanning three universities. 

“We are one large project under a shared goal,” said Taylor-Swanson. “Our work builds directly on Lisa Conboy’s earlier randomized controlled trial with veterans. That decentralized study showed real improvement in pain and function. This new phase allows us to test those findings with a larger, nationwide group while maintaining the decentralized design that makes participation much easier for veterans.” 

The study’s design stands out for its accessibility. Instead of requiring veterans to travel to one research center, licensed acupuncturists deliver treatment in their own communities. These acupuncturists are based in cities across the United States, including Dallas, Tampa, Los Angeles, Seattle, Fairfax, and Denver. Participants wear Garmin fitness trackers that record heart rate, sleep, and activity, and collect small blood samples at home to measure biomarkers related to inflammation. 

“Veterans in the earlier trial reported that acupuncture helped them regain control over their lives,” said Lisa Conboy. “We saw reduced pain, improved energy, and better function. This new trial will help us understand not only whether acupuncture works, but how it works—a crucial step toward recognition in mainstream medicine.” 

At Berkeley, Michael Conboy studies the underlying biology. “I don’t see the immediate effect in people, but I see what’s happening beneath the surface,” he said. “We want to know whether we can identify measurable changes in the blood and nervous system that explain the relief participants describe.” 

He said the decentralized model could expand access for other groups. “We bring the treatment to where the patient is rather than asking them to come into the trial,” Michael Conboy said. “That makes it more like regular daily life. This model could easily apply to other veteran illnesses and vulnerable populations.” 

Taylor-Swanson said her background as an acupuncturist and women’s health researcher adds another layer to the study’s future goals. “We’ve already written and will continue writing grant proposals focused on women with Gulf War Illness,” she said. “This intervention hasn’t been studied specifically for women veterans, and we think there’s a lot more to learn.” 

The team also plans to share results directly with the Veterans Health Administration. “Lisa Conboy has already had a grant in the past to loop this information back to the VA,” said Taylor-Swanson. “Once this study is complete, we’ll work to get that information to policymakers. The VA already provides acupuncture, but not at this frequency. Twice weekly for six months follows the expert-recommended dosing that proved most effective in the earlier research.” 

At the molecular level, the Conboy lab at Berkeley studies how acupuncture may influence the body’s repair systems. “Our preliminary findings show a return to a healthier cellular state,” said Michael Conboy. “We see changes in biomarkers, heart rate variability, and other indicators. These measures show people are becoming more well both physiologically and in how they feel.” 

The CARE Study includes two treatment groups—one receiving acupuncture twice weekly for six months, and another beginning with a two-month waiting period followed by weekly treatments for four months. The design allows researchers to compare timing and frequency while maintaining flexibility for real-world conditions. 

“Veterans are living with a condition that still doesn’t have a clear solution,” said Taylor-Swanson. “Many have been told their symptoms are invisible or untreatable. We see the opposite in this study—veterans who feel heard, who move and sleep better, who feel hope returning.” 

Looking ahead, the team hopes the results will influence care practices across the Veterans Health Administration. By pairing molecular data with patient-reported outcomes, they aim to provide evidence strong enough to support a broader use of acupuncture within VA clinics nationwide. “Veterans deserve options that work,” said Taylor-Swanson. “We are showing that integrative care can make a difference.”