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Agent Orange/Dioxin and Other Toxic Exposures Committee Press Release: vietnam veterans of america applauds publication of the final rules on agent orange new presumptive (August 31, 2010) [click title to read press release] Final Rules on Agent Orange August 31, 2010 brought publication of the final rules to add three new diseases to the list of diseases presumptively service connected for exposure to “Agent Orange”. Parkinson’s disease, B-cell leukemias, and ischemic heart disease (IHD) are in the final rules was published in the August 31, 2010 edition of the Federal Register http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-21556.pdf. The effective date of the rules is August 31, 2010. However, VA cannot start paying benefits under the rules right away because the Congressional Review Act (CRA) require a 60 day wait. VA should start paying on the back claims on and after October 31, 2010. Unless congress acts to deny implementation of the rules, “Agent Orange” exposed veterans suffering from any of these diseases will get the help they need and have earned. The rules point out that Parkinson’s disease is covered. However the rule does not include parkinsonian syndromes and/or parkinsonism. This excludes multiple systems atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and other parkinsonism caused by a stroke, encephalitis, meningitis, cortibosasal degeneration, certain antipsychotic and metoclopramide medications, other toxins or head trauma. The rule adds all chronic B-cell leukemias including fourteen kinds of lymphomas involving B-cell leukemia. B Cell Leukemia describes several different types of lymphoid leukemias and includes the following types: B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma; Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, mature B-cell type; B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia; Precursor B lymphoblastic leukemia; and Hairy cell leukemia. The fourteen kinds of lymphomas involving B-cells included under the rules are: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; Follicular lymphoma; Mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue lymphoma (MALT); Small cell lymphocytic lymphoma (overlaps with the chronic lymphocytic leukemia); Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL); Burkitt lymphoma; Mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma; WaldenstrÖm macroglobulinemia; Nodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (NMZL); Splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL); Extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma ; Primary effusion lymphoma; and Lymphomatoid granulomatosis. On IHD the rules clearly point what the VA will and will not recognize. “…. VA interprets IHD, for purposes of service connection, to encompass any atherosclerotic heart disease resulting in clinically significant ischemia or requiring coronary revascularization. In the notice of proposed rulemaking, we explained that the term “ischemic heart disease” does not encompass hypertension or peripheral manifestations of arteriosclerotic heart disease, such as peripheral Veterans exposed to “Agent Orange” herbicides and who suffer from one of these diseases should immediately file a claim. Apply on line at: http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/main.asp. Exposed veterans who filed a claim prior to August 31, 2010 may be covered under a court class ruling know as Nehmer. Nehmer provides for payment back to the date of the original claim filing date in most cases. It also allows payment of back benefits to the surviving spouse or the veteran’s estate. Nehmer is complicated and veterans should contact a Veterans Service Officer (representative) to ensure all benefits are received. Veterans with past claims for one of the new diseases should also call the VA at 1-800-827-1000 and let them know your claim may be subject to the Nehmer court ruling. There are many veterans or their surviving families that are unaware of the benefits and back compensation due to them. Each of us, who do know, has an obligation to get the information to these veterans and their families. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Diseases Associated With Exposure to Certain Herbicide Agents (Hairy Cell Leukemia and Other Chronic B Cell Leukemias, Parkinson’s Disease and Ischemic Heart Disease) AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This document amends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
adjudication regulations concerning presumptive service connection for certain diseases
based upon the most recent National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Institute of Medicine
committee report, Veterans and Agent Orange: Update 2008 (Update 2008). This
amendment is necessary to implement the decision of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs [ Read complete document from the Federal Register ] Database of Studies Related to Agent Orange / Dioxin Exposures Over the years one of VVA members and a former Chairman of the Agent Orange Committee put together a database of studies related to “Agent Orange/Dioxin” exposures and their impact. George Claxton wants to share this information with his fellow veterans. We are grateful for George’s hard work and dedication in working on these important issues. In order to make this information available to veterans, the Agent Orange/Dioxin and Other Toxic Substances Committee has converted the information into a PDF file as well as an excel spreadsheet, and as a Microsoft works spread sheet. The last column in all three of these documents lists the original database number and refers to the disease cover or the type of study as listed below.
The PDF file GCdatabasePdf82010 makes this information available to everyone who can get on the internet. If you don’t have the program to read the pdf file you can download a free reader at the below address: The Excel file GCdatabaseExcel82010 is in a spreadsheet. To use this information you will need a program that can run Excel spreadsheets. Microsoft office or Open Office will work for this file. Open Office is a free software program that you can use to read the excel file. A link is provided below http://www.downloadtop.info/openoffice/ So more people can use the data in spreadsheet format, we converted the data to Microsoft Works spreadsheet format. VVA and the AO/DOTS Committee hope this information will help veterans who are working on their claim or researching as advocates for other veterans. As we will be updating this information the number at the end of the file name is for the month and year of the file. Let me know at aoates@vva.org if you have questions or comments about the information. Alan Oates, Chairman, Agent Orange/Dioxin and Other Toxic Substances Committee
Click on the links below to read the stories of Faces of Agent Orange Press Release VVA Praises VA; Urges Eligible Veterans and Survivors of Deceased Veterans To File Claims for Newly ‘Presumptive’ Diseases Associated with Agent Orange (March 25, 2010) [ click title to read ] Birth Defects Position Paper 1/14/2010 Children are our future. We have all heard that common saying. What is the future of the children of Vietnam veterans and other veterans with toxic, service-related exposures? There is a growing realization that both maternal and paternal toxic exposures play a role in the birth defects of the children and future generations of the exposed individuals. Research in the field of epigenetics also points toward toxic exposures turning on or off genes that, when passed on to the child, could lead to the onset of diseases later in life. [ read the paper ] Operation Flyswatter
BY ALAN OATES, CHAIR Malathion is the name of an organophosphate insecticide used in Vietnam to combat mosquitoes. Organophosphates were first developed in the late 1930s by Nazi Germany as chemical warfare agents (nerve gas). VX nerve gas and Sarin gas are well-known examples. Organophosphates operate on humans and insects in a similar fashion by attacking the nervous systems.
During the Vietnam War, large numbers of troops came down with malaria. To kill the mosquitoes that carried the disease, the Department of Defense converted aircraft that were spraying Agent Orange to the spraying of Malathion. This was the start of Operation Flyswatter.
In the news Research Paper Congress Must Act to Restore Earned Benefits to All Vietnam Veterans – Including “Blue Water” Vets! Washington, D.C. – House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA) announced the introduction of H.R. 2254, a bill to restore equity to all Vietnam veterans that were exposed to Agent Orange. “We owe it to our veterans to fulfill the promises made to them as a result of their service,” said Chairman Filner (D-CA). “If, as a result of service, a veteran was exposed to Agent Orange and it has resulted in failing health, this country has a moral obligation to care for each veteran the way we promised we would. And as a country at war, we must prove that we will be there for all of our veterans, no matter when they serve. The courts have turned their backs on our veterans, but I believe this Congress will not allow our veterans to be cheated of their earned benefits.” [ Read complete article ]Annual Committee Report What follows was reported by ABC News. It should be of interest to all Vietnam veterans who have illnesses that they feel resulted from exposure to dioxin—Agent Orange—during their service during the Vietnam War:
The VVA Self-Help Guide to Service-Connected Disability Compensation for Exposure to Agent Orange AL Amyloidosis: a rare group of diseases that results from the abnormal deposition of a particular protein called amyloid in various tissues of the body has been added as a presumptive service connected illnesses recognized by the VA as connected to Agent Orange Herbicide Exposure.
The Agent Orange Review
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Why fill out the form? VVA's Veterans Agent Orange Initiative is a humanitarian, veteran-to-veteran effort to document Agent Orange exposure (particularly from hand and truck spraying of bases) and to define likely hot spots of dangerously high dioxin levels on former U.S. and ARVN bases in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. FROM THE VVA "The Agent Orange/Dioxin Committee shall accumulate and disseminate information regarding Agent Orange and Dioxin and actively pursue the recognition of presumptive disabilities from exposure to Agent Orange and Dioxin by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Agent Orange/Dioxin Committee shall provide assistance to State Councils, Chapters, and service programs in the handling of Agent Orange related problems. The Committee shall encourage and foster the sponsorship of legislation to help the victims of Agent Orange and Dioxin, and encourage scientific and medical research in the field of dioxin-related ailments." DO YOU NEED ASSISTANCE FILING A CLAIM? Contact a VVA Benefits Service Officer
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