Armed Forces: Coeliac Disease

An update to the document setting out Medical Employment Standards (Joint Service Publication 950 (JSP 950) Leaflet 6-7-7), which sets out the Medical Employment Standards for the Armed Forces, was published in July 2026, following an intensive period of review undertaken by clinical experts, Defence personnel staff and the recruiting agencies.

It confirms that candidates with a history of gluten sensitive enteropathy (coeliac disease) are unable to join the Armed Forces. Coeliac disease can only be managed by completely avoiding gluten, and failing to follow a strict gluten-free diet coeliac disease can lead to severe short-term symptoms and long-term health risks, including an increased risk of cancer. Defence is unable to provide a sustained gluten-free diet or reliably guarantee exclusion diets throughout a service career.

In the course of the review, each standard was considered in light of existing and/or emerging medical evidence and assessed against the likelihood of the associated medical risk of a five-year engagement.

The nature of military service is such that here are multiple opportunities for exposure to triggers and operational realities increase the risk of inadvertent ingestion or cross-contamination. Environmental exposure to a trigger is not fully controllable under field conditions such as austere kitchens, ration sharing, host-nation / coalition catering, unlabelled or locally procured food, fatigue, and time pressure.Medical employment standards remain under routine review.