Overview of Chemical-Warfare Agents By James M Madsen, MD, MPH, U S.Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD) Reviewed / Revised Jan 2023 View Patient Education Classification More Information Chemical-warfare (CW) agents are chemical mass-casualty weapons (MCWs) developed by governments for wartime use and include Toxic agents (intended to cause serious injury or death) Incapacitating agents (intended to cause only temporary, non-life-threatening effects) Although incapacitating agents are sometimes mistakenly referred to as nonlethal, in high doses, these agents can cause serious injury or death.