Those who claim to have experienced contact with extraterrestrial beings commonly describe illness or injury following the incidents—problems sometimes persisting for years afterward. The UAP Medical Coalition (UAPMC), a group that reportedly includes health care personnel, academics, and experiencers, was formed to study the unique medical and mental health issues that often seem to accompany alien encounters. Among their goals: to research the range of physical and psychological problems caused by these incidents, and to de-stigmatize the approach to caring for patients who claim their conditions were caused by UAP experiences.