Havana syndrome

Havana syndrome, also known as anomalous health incidents (AHIs), is a disputed medical condition. Starting in 2016 in about a dozen overseas locations, U.S. and Canadian government officials and their families reported symptoms associated with a perceived localized loud sound. The symptoms lasted for months and included disabling cognitive problems, balance problems, dizziness, insomnia, and headaches. Havana syndrome is not recognized as a disease by the medical community.

A number of government and non-government agencies have conducted investigations into the AHIs, including the State Department (2018), University of Pennsylvania (2018), FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (2018), JASON (2018 and 2022), Centers for Disease Control (2019), Department of Defense (2020), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2020), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) (2020), Cuban Academy of Sciences (2021), seven intelligence agencies under the auspices of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) (2023), and National Institutes of Health (NIH) (2024). Several news organizations have also conducted investigations.

Official investigations have provided various theories on the cause of AHI, but there is no consensus. Theories include directed-energy weapons, psychological and social causes, and toxic chemicals. However, no cause has been established.

The U.S. government has established a variety of programs providing medical and financial support to people that reported AHI symptoms, but some AHI patients continue to campaign for additional support.