Be Happy, Be Safe!
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Upcoming Agent Orange Town Hall Meetings
CHECK here for Schedule Updates
January 16, 2015
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Contact: Charlie
Montgomery 757-481-6513
January 23, 2016
Breese, Illinois
Maurice Zurleine 618-920-5222
January 23, 2016
Anoka, Minnesota
Contact: Richard
Bergling 763-202-1099
Maynard Kaderlik 507-581-6402
February 13, 2016
Mesa, Arizona
Contact: Michael Marks
March 11, 2016
Elizabeth Town, Kentucky
Contact: David Cowherd
April 16, 2016
Kansas City, Missouri
Contact: Randy Barnett
April 23, 2016
Rockford, Illinois
Contact: Chris Carlson
Dan Loyson
May 21, 2016
Livonia, Michigan
Contact: Bob Dew
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Burning Garbage: A Health Hazard
Incineration, the combustion of organic material such as waste with
energy recovery, is the most common Waste to Energy implementation.
Incinerators reduce the volume of the original waste by 95-96 percent,
depending upon composition and degree of recovery of materials such as
metals from the ash for recycling
Incinerators have electric efficiencies of 14-28%. In order to
avoid losing the rest of the energy, it can be used for e.g. district
heating (cogeneration). The total efficiencies of cogeneration
incinerators are typically higher than 80% (based on the lower heating
value of the waste).
The method of using incineration to convert municipal solid waste
(MSW) to energy is a relatively old method of Waste to Energy
production. Incineration generally entails burning waste (residual MSW,
commercial, industrial and RDF) to boil water which powers steam
generators that make electric energy and heat to be used in homes,
businesses, institutions and industries. One problem associated with
incinerating Municipal Solid Waste to make electrical energy, is the
potential for pollutants to enter the atmosphere with the flue gases
from the boiler. These pollutants can be acidic and in the 1980s were
reported to cause environmental damage by turning rain into acid rain.
In thermal Waste to Energy technologies, nearly all of the carbon
content in the waste is emitted as carbon dioxide (CO2) to the
atmosphere (when including final combustion of the products from
pyrolysis and gasification; except when producing bio-char for
fertilizer). Municipal solid waste (MSW) contain approximately the same
mass fraction of carbon as CO2 itself (27%), so treatment of 1 metric
ton (1.1 short tons) of MSW produce approximately 1 metric ton (1.1
short tons) of CO2.
In the event that the waste is landfilled, 1 metric ton (1.1 short
tons) of MSW would produce approximately 62 cubic metres (2,200 cu ft)
methane via the anaerobic decomposition of the biodegradable part of the
waste. This amount of methane has more than twice the global warming
potential than the 1 metric ton (1.1 short tons) of CO2, which would
have been produced by combustion. In some countries, large amounts of
landfill gas are collected, but still the global warming potential of
the landfill gas emitted to atmosphere In addition, nearly all
biodegradable waste is biomass. That is, it has biological origin. This
material has been formed by plants using atmospheric CO2 typically
within the last growing season. If these plants are regrown the CO2
emitted from their combustion will be taken out from the atmosphere once
more.
Another very dangerous chemical found in the solid waste is Dioxin.
Dioxins are environmental pollutants. They belong to the so-called
“dirty dozen” - a group of dangerous chemicals known as persistent
organic pollutants (POPs). Dioxins are of concern because of their
highly toxic potential. Experiments have shown they affect a number of
organs and systems. Once dioxins enter the body, they last a long time
because of their chemical stability and their ability to be absorbed by
fat tissue, where they are then stored in the body.
The chemical name for dioxin is: 2,3,7,8- tetrachlorodibenzo para
dioxin (TCDD). The name "dioxins" is often used for the family of
structurally and chemically related polychlorinated dibenzo para dioxins
(PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). Certain dioxin-like
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) with similar toxic properties are also
included under the term “dioxins”. Some 419 types of dioxin-related
compounds have been identified but only about 30 of these are considered
to have significant toxicity, with TCDD being the most toxic.In terms
of dioxin release into the environment, uncontrolled waste incinerators
(solid waste and hospital waste) are often the worst culprit dioxin
disturbs the endocrine balance in the reproductive systems of women in
particular. Endometriosis, spontaneous abortion and complicated
pregnancies may result from dioxin poisoning in women.
Vietnam Veterans voice their struggle to survive Agent Orange
SOUTHERN UTAH - + Video – Agent Orange is one of the toxic herbicides
used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. Some
12 million gallons of the supercharged weed killer was sprayed over
66,000 square miles of South Vietnam during the War. It was manufactured
by the U.S. Department of Defense primarily by Monsanto Corporation and
Dow Chemical to be used as a defoliant for the jungle. It was given its
name from the color of the orange-striped barrels in which it was
shipped.
While the U.S. Government didn’t know the long term health effects Agent Orange would have on troops, the VA and the military have recognized exposures and are now paying disability to those suffering from conditions it may cause.
Those include everything from Leukemias, Hodgkin’s Disease, Neuropathy, Ischemic Heart Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, Stroke, Parkinsons, and multiple types of cancers.
Many U.S. military veterans are now feeling the affects of Agent Orange and are receiving help, while others have already passed away. We spoke with two Vietnam Veterans suffering from the affects of Agent Orange, who are now living in the Southern Utah Veterans Home.
While the U.S. Government didn’t know the long term health effects Agent Orange would have on troops, the VA and the military have recognized exposures and are now paying disability to those suffering from conditions it may cause.
Those include everything from Leukemias, Hodgkin’s Disease, Neuropathy, Ischemic Heart Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, Stroke, Parkinsons, and multiple types of cancers.
Many U.S. military veterans are now feeling the affects of Agent Orange and are receiving help, while others have already passed away. We spoke with two Vietnam Veterans suffering from the affects of Agent Orange, who are now living in the Southern Utah Veterans Home.
US Attorney declines prosecution of former VA execs
Federal prosecutors have decided not to press criminal charges
against two former executives at the Department of Veterans Affairs who
were accused of manipulating the agency's hiring system for their own
gain.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of
Columbia said Thursday it has declined a referral from the VA inspector
general for criminal prosecution of Diana Rubens and Kimberly Graves.
The inspector general said in a report this fall that
Rubens and Graves forced lower-ranking regional managers to accept job
transfers against their will. Rubens and Graves then stepped into the
vacant positions themselves, keeping their pay while reducing their
responsibilities.
Rubens had been earning $181,497 as director of the
Philadelphia regional office for the Veterans Benefits Administration,
while Graves earned $173,949 as leader of the St. Paul, Minnesota,
regional office. Before taking the regional jobs, Rubens was a deputy
undersecretary at the VA's Washington headquarters, while Graves was
director of VBA's 14-state North Atlantic Region.
Rubens and Graves were accused of obtaining more than
$400,000 in questionable moving expenses through a relocation program
for VA executives, the inspector general's report said.
The U.S. Attorney's office said it has "referred the matter to the VA for any administrative action that is deemed appropriate."
Rubens and Graves were demoted in November, but their
demotions were rescinded this month after a paperwork mix-up. The VA
has said it will reissue the demotions after the problem is resolved.
Prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Aging Vietnam-Era Veterans
Veterans Administration Cooperative Study 569: Course and Consequences of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Vietnam-Era Veteran Twins
Jack Goldberg, Ph.D., Kathryn M. Magruder, Ph.D., Christopher W. Forsberg, M.S.,
Matthew J. Friedman, M.D., Ph.D., Brett T. Litz, Ph.D., Viola Vaccarino, M.D., Ph.D.,
Patrick J. Heagerty, Ph.D., Theresa C. Gleason, Ph.D., Grant D. Huang, M.P.H., Ph.D.,
Nicholas L. Smith, Ph.D.
Jack Goldberg, Ph.D., Kathryn M. Magruder, Ph.D., Christopher W. Forsberg, M.S.,
Matthew J. Friedman, M.D., Ph.D., Brett T. Litz, Ph.D., Viola Vaccarino, M.D., Ph.D.,
Patrick J. Heagerty, Ph.D., Theresa C. Gleason, Ph.D., Grant D. Huang, M.P.H., Ph.D.,
Nicholas L. Smith, Ph.D.
Publication History-Published Online: May 15, 2015 / Accepted: May 12, 2015 / Received in revised form: May 1, 2015 / Received: July 16, 2014
ABSTRACT
Objective
The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among aging Vietnam-era veterans is not well characterized.
ABSTRACT
Objective
The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among aging Vietnam-era veterans is not well characterized.
Methods
In a cross-sectional study, 5,598 male Vietnam-era veterans and members of the Vietnam Era Twin Registry were assessed for PTSD using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Current symptoms were measured with the PTSD Checklist (PCL). PTSD was estimated according to age (<60 60="" and="" br="" or="" service.="" theater="" vietnam="">Results
The lifetime prevalence of PTSD in theater veterans aged at least 60 years was 16.9% (95% CI: 13.9%–20.5%) and higher than the 5.5% (95% CI: 4.3%–7.0%) among nontheater veterans. Among veterans younger than 60 years, the comparable prevalence was 22.0% for theater (95% CI: 16.7%–28.4%) and 15.7% for nontheater (95% CI: 13.4%–18.2%) veterans. Similar results were found for theater service and current PTSD prevalence (past 12 months). PCL scores were significantly higher in theater compared with nontheater veterans in both younger and older cohorts. In both the younger and older cohorts significant differences in lifetime and current PTSD prevalence and PCL scores persisted in theater service discordant twin pairs.
Conclusion
Vietnam service is related to elevated PTSD prevalence and current symptom burden in aging veterans. More than 30 years after the end of the Vietnam conflict, many veterans continue to suffer from PTSD, which highlights the need for continuing outreach throughout the life course.
In a cross-sectional study, 5,598 male Vietnam-era veterans and members of the Vietnam Era Twin Registry were assessed for PTSD using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Current symptoms were measured with the PTSD Checklist (PCL). PTSD was estimated according to age (<60 60="" and="" br="" or="" service.="" theater="" vietnam="">Results
The lifetime prevalence of PTSD in theater veterans aged at least 60 years was 16.9% (95% CI: 13.9%–20.5%) and higher than the 5.5% (95% CI: 4.3%–7.0%) among nontheater veterans. Among veterans younger than 60 years, the comparable prevalence was 22.0% for theater (95% CI: 16.7%–28.4%) and 15.7% for nontheater (95% CI: 13.4%–18.2%) veterans. Similar results were found for theater service and current PTSD prevalence (past 12 months). PCL scores were significantly higher in theater compared with nontheater veterans in both younger and older cohorts. In both the younger and older cohorts significant differences in lifetime and current PTSD prevalence and PCL scores persisted in theater service discordant twin pairs.
Conclusion
Vietnam service is related to elevated PTSD prevalence and current symptom burden in aging veterans. More than 30 years after the end of the Vietnam conflict, many veterans continue to suffer from PTSD, which highlights the need for continuing outreach throughout the life course.
Thursday, December 24, 2015
BEST WISHES
Saturday, December 19, 2015
VA Plans to Propose Expanded Disability Benefits Eligibility for Veterans Exposed to Contaminated Water at Camp Lejeune
WASHINGTON
– The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today that it plans
to propose expanded disability compensation eligibility for Veterans
exposed to contaminated drinking water while assigned to Marine Corps
Base Camp Lejeune.
From
1953 to 1987, water sources at the base were contaminated with
industrial solvents that are correlated with certain health conditions.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald decided to propose
presumptions of service connection for certain conditions associated
with these chemical solvents following discussions between environmental
health experts at the Veterans Health Administration and the Department
of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR).
“The
water at Camp Lejeune was a hidden hazard, and it is only years later
that we know how dangerous it was,” said Secretary McDonald. “We thank
ATSDR for the thorough review that provided much of the evidence we
needed to fully compensate Veterans who develop one of the conditions
known to be related to exposure to the compounds in the drinking water.”
ATSDR
determined that the drinking water at Camp Lejeune was contaminated
with perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene, vinyl chloride, benzene and
other petroleum contaminants from leaking storage tanks from 1953 to
1987. ATSDR also determined that prolonged exposure to these chemicals
increases the risk of certain health conditions.
Based
upon VA’s review of current medical science and ATSDR’s findings,
Secretary McDonald intends to propose creation of a presumption of
service connection for the following conditions:
- Kidney Cancer
- Liver Cancer
- Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Leukemia
- Multiple Myeloma
- Scleroderma
- Parkinson's Disease
- Aplastic Anemia / Myelodysplastic Syndromes
The
Secretary’s proposal would also expand benefits eligibility to Reserve
and National Guard personnel who served at Camp Lejeune for any length
of time from August 1, 1953, through December 31, 1987. These
personnel would be presumed to have been exposed to the contaminated
water during their Reserve or National Guard service and, in appropriate
circumstances, to have been disabled by such exposure during service,
thus allowing them to qualify for VA benefits under the statutory
definition of “Veteran.”
This would make them eligible for VA disability compensation and
medical care for any of the presumptive conditions, and their surviving
dependents would be eligible for dependency and indemnity compensation
and burial benefits.
VA
is working on regulations that would establish these presumptions,
making it easier for affected Veterans to receive VA disability
compensation for these conditions. While VA cannot grant any benefit
claims based on the proposed presumption of service connection for these
conditions until it issues its final regulations, it encourages
Veterans who have a record of service at Camp Lejeune between August 1,
1953, and December 31, 1987, and develop a condition that they believe
is related to exposure to the drinking water at the base, to file a
disability compensation claim with VA.
VA
will continue to grant claims for disabilities claimed to be associated
with exposure to the contaminants that can be granted under current
regulations and review of the evidence in each case. If a claim for
service connection for one of the proposed presumptive conditions would
be denied under current regulations, the denial will be stayed until VA
issues its final regulations. VA will announce when the regulations are
final and presumptive benefits can begin to be awarded. For more
information on applying for these benefits, visit: http://benefits.va.gov/compensation/claims-postservice-exposures-camp_lejeune_water.asp.
Veterans
who served at Camp Lejeune for 30 days or more between August 1, 1953,
and December 31, 1987, are already eligible to receive VA healthcare for
up to 15 health conditions. More information, including a full list of
covered conditions, can be found online at: http://www.publichealth.va.gov/PUBLICHEALTH/exposures/camp-lejeune/index.asp.
Veterans can establish eligibility for healthcare benefits by submitting VA Form 10-10EZ online at www.1010ez.med.va.gov/, downloading it at www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/1010EZ-fillable.pdf
and returning it to any VA Medical Center or Clinic, or by calling
1-877-222-VETS (8387), Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00
AM and 8:00 PM (Eastern Time).
VA
is reimbursing certain veterans’ family members for eligible
out-of-pocket medical expenses related to the 15 covered conditions.
More information can be found at: https://www.clfamilymembers.fsc.va.gov
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Singaporean committed to easing Agent Orange victims’ sufferings in Vietnam
A Singaporean septuagenarian has given his all, including huge
financial support, to help mitigate the lingering effects of Agent
Orange (AO)/dioxin on Vietnamese victims.
Harold Chan, 73, has been in the central city of Da Nang since late November visiting AO-affected families.
Late last month he donated a Magnetic Resonance Imaging
(MRI) scanner worth US$1.5 million to Da Nang Hospital in order to
facilitate diagnosis and improve the health of victims of the toxic
chemical.
The equipment has been put into operation at the hospital to benefit
Agent Orange/dioxin victims as well as poor people in the city.
Chan has also decided to sponsor an annual fund worth VND720 million (US$32,000) in support of the victims.
The sums are taken from the elderly man’s lifelong savings.
He has also worked with the hospital’s doctors regarding how to operate
the scanner and provide treatment for the first batch of patients.
Obsession
Chan revealed that six months ago, he happened to see stark images of
Vietnamese AO sufferers on television against the hustle and bustle of
their modern-day country.
“I’ve been to many countries, including the U.S. and European nations.
Never have I witnessed such appalling images. I was unspeakably
shocked,” he said.
The distorted faces and serious disabilities of AO children lingered in
his mind for days and spurred him to travel to the S-shaped country.
Chan carried out his own search for information and immediately decided
to come to Da Nang, one of the Vietnamese localities where AO
abnormalities remain pervasive.
He visited the Da Nang Association of Victims of Agent Orange in April, introducing himself as a tourist.
He was then introduced to Nguyen Thi Hien, the society’s chair, who
initially did not expect the haggard-looking, small-built man to be such
a generous philanthropist.
Darien (Connecticut) women pleads guilty to embezzling veterans’ funds
A Darien women pleaded
guilty Tuesday to embezzling nearly $800,000 from a national veterans
charity where she worked as a bookkeeper.
Cynthia Tanner, 54, was in Hartford federal court on charges of fraud and tax evasion related to her work with the National Veterans Services Fund, which is based in Darien.
The charity accepts donations to assist veterans and their families. Tanner handled the payroll and the disbursement of funds to clients across the United States, according to police. Tanner fabricated a financial ledger to conceal that she was stealing money intended for veterans. With the ledger documented the donations, she made the checks out to herself and to family members, police have said.
Tanner also neglected to pay $270,026 in taxes taxes on the embezzled $794,768.47, according to the release.
She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison after pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, and potentially five more years on a count of tax evasion. She is to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton on March 11.
Tanner was released on $50,000 bond following her arrest on June 2, 2014.
In addition to the Darien police, the investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito handled the case for the state.
The charity has a storied history. In 1978, a small group of veterans in lower Fairfield County became the face of the issue of Agent Orange in the United States, as they revealed the effects of the herbicide used by the military to clear vegetation on Vietnamese battlefields.
Stamford resident Paul Reutershan, a veteran, died that year of cancer, which he blamed on Agent Orange. In 1984, Reutershan’s lawsuit against the government and the makers of Agent Orange resulted in a class-action that was settled for $240 million.
The Vietnam Veterans Agent Orange Victims group evolved into the National Veterans Services Fund. Nine years ago, the agency was cited by watchdog agencies as one of the least efficient charity organizations in the United States. It leaned so heavily on paid fundraisers that 97 percent of the $4.4 million it raised in 2004 went to that function.
Tanner’s arrest was the result a complaint to Darien Police from Phil Kraft, the organization’s executive director and treasurer. Kraft reported that McEnerney Brady and Co., a New Jersey-based accounting firm, discovered irregularities in the agency’s financial statements.
The charity accepts donations to assist veterans and their families. Tanner handled the payroll and the disbursement of funds to clients across the United States, according to police. Tanner fabricated a financial ledger to conceal that she was stealing money intended for veterans. With the ledger documented the donations, she made the checks out to herself and to family members, police have said.
Tanner also neglected to pay $270,026 in taxes taxes on the embezzled $794,768.47, according to the release.
She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison after pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, and potentially five more years on a count of tax evasion. She is to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton on March 11.
Tanner was released on $50,000 bond following her arrest on June 2, 2014.
In addition to the Darien police, the investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito handled the case for the state.
The charity has a storied history. In 1978, a small group of veterans in lower Fairfield County became the face of the issue of Agent Orange in the United States, as they revealed the effects of the herbicide used by the military to clear vegetation on Vietnamese battlefields.
Stamford resident Paul Reutershan, a veteran, died that year of cancer, which he blamed on Agent Orange. In 1984, Reutershan’s lawsuit against the government and the makers of Agent Orange resulted in a class-action that was settled for $240 million.
The Vietnam Veterans Agent Orange Victims group evolved into the National Veterans Services Fund. Nine years ago, the agency was cited by watchdog agencies as one of the least efficient charity organizations in the United States. It leaned so heavily on paid fundraisers that 97 percent of the $4.4 million it raised in 2004 went to that function.
Tanner’s arrest was the result a complaint to Darien Police from Phil Kraft, the organization’s executive director and treasurer. Kraft reported that McEnerney Brady and Co., a New Jersey-based accounting firm, discovered irregularities in the agency’s financial statements.
40 Years On, the Vietnam War Continues for Victims of Agent Orange
The war in Vietnam resulted in the deaths of more than 58,000
Americans and more than 3 million Vietnamese. Twenty years ago, the
United States and Vietnam normalized diplomatic relations in an effort
to put the terrible legacy of the war behind them. But for the
survivors—both Vietnamese and American—the war continues. About 5
million Vietnamese and many U.S. and allied soldiers were exposed to the
toxic chemical dioxin from the spraying of Agent Orange. Many of them and their progeny continue to suffer its poisonous effects.
Agent Orange was a chemical, herbicidal weapon sprayed over 12 percent of Vietnam by the U.S. military from 1961 to 1971. The dioxin present in Agent Orange is one of the most toxic chemicals known to humanity.
Those exposed to Agent Orange during the war often have children and
grandchildren with serious illnesses and disabilities. The international
scientific community has identified an association between exposure to
Agent Orange and some forms of cancers, reproductive abnormalities,
immune and endocrine deficiencies and nervous system damage. Second- and
third-generation victims continue to be born in Vietnam as well as to
U.S. veterans and Vietnamese-Americans in this country
There are 28 “hot spots” in Vietnam still contaminated by dioxin.
These hot spots still affect the people who live there and eat the
crops, land animals and fish.
On April 29, U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee introduced HR 2114,
the Victims of Agent Orange Relief Act of 2015. This bill would go a
long way toward remedying the humanitarian crisis among both the
Vietnamese and U.S. victims of Agent Orange.
Representatives of the Vietnam Association for the Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA)
have arrived in the U.S. to mark the official launch of HR 2114 on
Thursday. VAVA is an organization of more than 365,000 Agent Orange
victims and activists that works to achieve justice for the victims
throughout the world.
One member of the VAVA delegation is Tran Thi Hoà n. Her mother was
exposed to Agent Orange from a barrel of the chemical buried in her land
during the war. Born without legs and with a seriously atrophied hand,
Hoà n grew up in Peace Village II, the Agent Orange center at Tu Du
Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City. Hoà n is a college graduate and currently
works as a computer science professional at the hospital.
In the U.S., VAVA’s sister organization, the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief & Responsibility Campaign (VAORRC),
is educating the public about the ongoing problems caused by spraying
Agent Orange in Vietnam and working to pass legislation to remedy these
problems. VAORRC believes that the U.S. and chemical manufacturers such
as Dow and Monsanto must take responsibility for the use of these
chemicals to redress the harm they have caused and to heal the wounds of
war. VAVA advocates for and provides assistance to victims in Vietnam,
but Agent Orange victims need even more help. Through the work of
activists in the U.S., Vietnam and internationally, the U.S. government
has allocated some money for the cleanup of one hot spot, but has done
little to alleviate the suffering of Agent Orange victims in Vietnam or
to clean up the remaining 27 hot spots.
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Upcoming Agent Orange Town Hall Meetings
January 16, 2015
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Contact: Charlie
Montgomery 757-481-6513
January 23, 2016
Breese, Illinois
Maurice Zurleine 618-920-5222
January 23, 2016
Anoka, Minnesota
Contact: Richard
Bergling 763-202-1099
Maynard Kaderlik 507-581-6402
February 13, 2016
Mesa, Arizona
Contact: Michael Marks
March 11, 2016
Elizabeth Town, Kentucky
Contact: David Cowherd
April 16, 2016
Kansas City, Missouri
Conatct: Randy Barnett 816-561-8387
April 23, 2016
Rockford, Illinois
Contact: Chris Carlson
Dan Loyson
May 21, 2016
Livonia, Michigan
Contact: Bob Dew
Study Solidifies Agent Orange and Myeloma Link
Exposure
to the herbicide Agent Orange has long been considered a potential risk
factor for multiple myeloma (MM) and its precursor condition,
monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), although the
science behind the association was limited.
Now, new research brings definitive evidence that Operation Ranch Hand veterans, U.S. Air Force (USAF) personnel who conducted aerial missions spraying the chemical during the Vietnam War, are more than two times as likely to have MGUS as other veterans (JAMA Oncol 2015;1[8]:1061-1068, PMID: 26335650).
“There has already been approval by the federal government to compensate people who served in the Vietnam War and developed lymphoma and myeloma, but there was no scientific evidence behind that—it was a political consensus,” said lead researcher C. Ola Landgren, MD, PhD a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and the chief of the Myeloma Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, both in New York City. “That motivated my colleagues and me to follow up on prior findings and investigate the link between MGUS and exposure to Agent Orange.”
To do so, Dr. Landgren and his colleagues carried out a detailed examination of data and stored blood samples obtained from Operation Ranch Hand veterans and comparison veterans who served in Southeast Asia at the same time, from 1962 to 1971, but were not involved in herbicide spray missions.
The main goals of the study were to determine the prevalence of MGUS in Ranch Hand veterans compared with controls, and to assess the risk for MGUS related to the body burden of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), an Agent Orange component known to be a human carcinogen.
The study’s base population consisted of 1,951 USAF personnel who took part in the Air Force Health Study (AFHS), in which serum specimens were collected and stored at six intervals between 1982 and 2002. The investigators also had access to AFHS questionnaires and physical exam and laboratory data, which provided a wealth of information on age, race, military occupation, body mass index, smoking history, drinking history, history of cancer treatment and causes of death for deceased USAF personnel.
The final study population consisted of 479 Ranch Hand veterans and 479 controls, all men, with a median age of 65 years and with similar medical histories and demographic and lifestyle characteristics.
The researchers found the crude prevalence of MGUS to be 7.1% in Ranch Hand veterans and 3.1% in comparison veterans. Being a Ranch Hand veteran also correlated significantly with having increased body TCDD levels, with 47.5% of exposed veterans having levels above 10.92 parts per trillion (ppt) compared with 2.5% of the unexposed veterans. Furthermore, veterans with TCDD levels of 10.92 ppt or higher had a 2.43-fold greater prevalence of MGUS than those with 3.65 ppt or lower.
- See more at: http://www.clinicaloncology.com/ViewArticle.aspx?d=Hematologic%2BMalignancies&d_id=149&i=December+2015&i_id=1276&a_id=34555#sthash.TNr6Glxc.dpuf
Now, new research brings definitive evidence that Operation Ranch Hand veterans, U.S. Air Force (USAF) personnel who conducted aerial missions spraying the chemical during the Vietnam War, are more than two times as likely to have MGUS as other veterans (JAMA Oncol 2015;1[8]:1061-1068, PMID: 26335650).
“There has already been approval by the federal government to compensate people who served in the Vietnam War and developed lymphoma and myeloma, but there was no scientific evidence behind that—it was a political consensus,” said lead researcher C. Ola Landgren, MD, PhD a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and the chief of the Myeloma Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, both in New York City. “That motivated my colleagues and me to follow up on prior findings and investigate the link between MGUS and exposure to Agent Orange.”
To do so, Dr. Landgren and his colleagues carried out a detailed examination of data and stored blood samples obtained from Operation Ranch Hand veterans and comparison veterans who served in Southeast Asia at the same time, from 1962 to 1971, but were not involved in herbicide spray missions.
The main goals of the study were to determine the prevalence of MGUS in Ranch Hand veterans compared with controls, and to assess the risk for MGUS related to the body burden of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), an Agent Orange component known to be a human carcinogen.
The study’s base population consisted of 1,951 USAF personnel who took part in the Air Force Health Study (AFHS), in which serum specimens were collected and stored at six intervals between 1982 and 2002. The investigators also had access to AFHS questionnaires and physical exam and laboratory data, which provided a wealth of information on age, race, military occupation, body mass index, smoking history, drinking history, history of cancer treatment and causes of death for deceased USAF personnel.
The final study population consisted of 479 Ranch Hand veterans and 479 controls, all men, with a median age of 65 years and with similar medical histories and demographic and lifestyle characteristics.
The researchers found the crude prevalence of MGUS to be 7.1% in Ranch Hand veterans and 3.1% in comparison veterans. Being a Ranch Hand veteran also correlated significantly with having increased body TCDD levels, with 47.5% of exposed veterans having levels above 10.92 parts per trillion (ppt) compared with 2.5% of the unexposed veterans. Furthermore, veterans with TCDD levels of 10.92 ppt or higher had a 2.43-fold greater prevalence of MGUS than those with 3.65 ppt or lower.
- See more at: http://www.clinicaloncology.com/ViewArticle.aspx?d=Hematologic%2BMalignancies&d_id=149&i=December+2015&i_id=1276&a_id=34555#sthash.TNr6Glxc.dpuf
Exposure
to the herbicide Agent Orange has long been considered a potential risk
factor for multiple myeloma (MM) and its precursor condition,
monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), although the
science behind the association was limited.
Now, new research brings definitive evidence that Operation Ranch Hand veterans, U.S. Air Force (USAF) personnel who conducted aerial missions spraying the chemical during the Vietnam War, are more than two times as likely to have MGUS as other veterans (JAMA Oncol 2015;1[8]:1061-1068, PMID: 26335650).
“There has already been approval by the federal government to compensate people who served in the Vietnam War and developed lymphoma and myeloma, but there was no scientific evidence behind that—it was a political consensus,” said lead researcher C. Ola Landgren, MD, PhD a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and the chief of the Myeloma Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, both in New York City. “That motivated my colleagues and me to follow up on prior findings and investigate the link between MGUS and exposure to Agent Orange.”
To do so, Dr. Landgren and his colleagues carried out a detailed examination of data and stored blood samples obtained from Operation Ranch Hand veterans and comparison veterans who served in Southeast Asia at the same time, from 1962 to 1971, but were not involved in herbicide spray missions.
The main goals of the study were to determine the prevalence of MGUS in Ranch Hand veterans compared with controls, and to assess the risk for MGUS related to the body burden of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), an Agent Orange component known to be a human carcinogen.
The study’s base population consisted of 1,951 USAF personnel who took part in the Air Force Health Study (AFHS), in which serum specimens were collected and stored at six intervals between 1982 and 2002. The investigators also had access to AFHS questionnaires and physical exam and laboratory data, which provided a wealth of information on age, race, military occupation, body mass index, smoking history, drinking history, history of cancer treatment and causes of death for deceased USAF personnel.
The final study population consisted of 479 Ranch Hand veterans and 479 controls, all men, with a median age of 65 years and with similar medical histories and demographic and lifestyle characteristics.
The researchers found the crude prevalence of MGUS to be 7.1% in Ranch Hand veterans and 3.1% in comparison veterans. Being a Ranch Hand veteran also correlated significantly with having increased body TCDD levels, with 47.5% of exposed veterans having levels above 10.92 parts per trillion (ppt) compared with 2.5% of the unexposed veterans. Furthermore, veterans with TCDD levels of 10.92 ppt or higher had a 2.43-fold greater prevalence of MGUS than those with 3.65 ppt or lower.
- See more at: http://www.clinicaloncology.com/ViewArticle.aspx?d=Hematologic%2BMalignancies&d_id=149&i=December+2015&i_id=1276&a_id=34555#sthash.TNr6Glxc.dpuf
Now, new research brings definitive evidence that Operation Ranch Hand veterans, U.S. Air Force (USAF) personnel who conducted aerial missions spraying the chemical during the Vietnam War, are more than two times as likely to have MGUS as other veterans (JAMA Oncol 2015;1[8]:1061-1068, PMID: 26335650).
“There has already been approval by the federal government to compensate people who served in the Vietnam War and developed lymphoma and myeloma, but there was no scientific evidence behind that—it was a political consensus,” said lead researcher C. Ola Landgren, MD, PhD a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and the chief of the Myeloma Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, both in New York City. “That motivated my colleagues and me to follow up on prior findings and investigate the link between MGUS and exposure to Agent Orange.”
To do so, Dr. Landgren and his colleagues carried out a detailed examination of data and stored blood samples obtained from Operation Ranch Hand veterans and comparison veterans who served in Southeast Asia at the same time, from 1962 to 1971, but were not involved in herbicide spray missions.
The main goals of the study were to determine the prevalence of MGUS in Ranch Hand veterans compared with controls, and to assess the risk for MGUS related to the body burden of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), an Agent Orange component known to be a human carcinogen.
The study’s base population consisted of 1,951 USAF personnel who took part in the Air Force Health Study (AFHS), in which serum specimens were collected and stored at six intervals between 1982 and 2002. The investigators also had access to AFHS questionnaires and physical exam and laboratory data, which provided a wealth of information on age, race, military occupation, body mass index, smoking history, drinking history, history of cancer treatment and causes of death for deceased USAF personnel.
The final study population consisted of 479 Ranch Hand veterans and 479 controls, all men, with a median age of 65 years and with similar medical histories and demographic and lifestyle characteristics.
The researchers found the crude prevalence of MGUS to be 7.1% in Ranch Hand veterans and 3.1% in comparison veterans. Being a Ranch Hand veteran also correlated significantly with having increased body TCDD levels, with 47.5% of exposed veterans having levels above 10.92 parts per trillion (ppt) compared with 2.5% of the unexposed veterans. Furthermore, veterans with TCDD levels of 10.92 ppt or higher had a 2.43-fold greater prevalence of MGUS than those with 3.65 ppt or lower.
- See more at: http://www.clinicaloncology.com/ViewArticle.aspx?d=Hematologic%2BMalignancies&d_id=149&i=December+2015&i_id=1276&a_id=34555#sthash.TNr6Glxc.dpuf
Exposure to the herbicide Agent
Orange has long been considered a potential risk factor for multiple myeloma
(MM) and its precursor condition, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined
significance (MGUS), although the science behind the association was limited.
Now, new research brings definitive
evidence that Operation Ranch Hand veterans, U.S. Air Force (USAF) personnel
who conducted aerial missions spraying the chemical during the Vietnam War, are
more than two times as likely to have MGUS as other veterans (JAMA Oncol
2015;1[8]:1061-1068, PMID: 26335650).
“There has already been approval by
the federal government to compensate people who served in the Vietnam War and
developed lymphoma and myeloma, but there was no scientific evidence behind
that—it was a political consensus,” said lead researcher C. Ola Landgren, MD,
PhD a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and the chief of
the Myeloma Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, both in New York
City. “That motivated my colleagues and me to follow up on prior findings and
investigate the link between MGUS and exposure to Agent Orange.”
To do so, Dr. Landgren and his
colleagues carried out a detailed examination of data and stored blood samples
obtained from Operation Ranch Hand veterans and comparison veterans who served
in Southeast Asia at the same time, from 1962 to 1971, but were not involved in
herbicide spray missions.
The main goals of the study were to
determine the prevalence of MGUS in Ranch Hand veterans compared with controls,
and to assess the risk for MGUS related to the body burden of
2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), an Agent Orange component known to
be a human carcinogen.
The study’s base population
consisted of 1,951 USAF personnel who took part in the Air Force Health Study
(AFHS), in which serum specimens were collected and stored at six intervals
between 1982 and 2002. The investigators also had access to AFHS questionnaires
and physical exam and laboratory data, which provided a wealth of information
on age, race, military occupation, body mass index, smoking history, drinking
history, history of cancer treatment and causes of death for deceased USAF
personnel.
The final study population consisted
of 479 Ranch Hand veterans and 479 controls, all men, with a median age of 65
years and with similar medical histories and demographic and lifestyle
characteristics.
The researchers found the crude
prevalence of MGUS to be 7.1% in Ranch Hand veterans and 3.1% in comparison
veterans. Being a Ranch Hand veteran also correlated significantly with having
increased body TCDD levels, with 47.5% of exposed veterans having levels above
10.92 parts per trillion (ppt) compared with 2.5% of the unexposed veterans.
Furthermore, veterans with TCDD levels of 10.92 ppt or higher had a 2.43-fold
greater prevalence of MGUS than those with 3.65 ppt or lower.
Exposure
to the herbicide Agent Orange has long been considered a potential risk
factor for multiple myeloma (MM) and its precursor condition,
monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), although the
science behind the association was limited.
Now, new research brings definitive evidence that Operation Ranch Hand veterans, U.S. Air Force (USAF) personnel who conducted aerial missions spraying the chemical during the Vietnam War, are more than two times as likely to have MGUS as other veterans (JAMA Oncol 2015;1[8]:1061-1068, PMID: 26335650).
“There has already been approval by the federal government to compensate people who served in the Vietnam War and developed lymphoma and myeloma, but there was no scientific evidence behind that—it was a political consensus,” said lead researcher C. Ola Landgren, MD, PhD a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and the chief of the Myeloma Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, both in New York City. “That motivated my colleagues and me to follow up on prior findings and investigate the link between MGUS and exposure to Agent Orange.”
To do so, Dr. Landgren and his colleagues carried out a detailed examination of data and stored blood samples obtained from Operation Ranch Hand veterans and comparison veterans who served in Southeast Asia at the same time, from 1962 to 1971, but were not involved in herbicide spray missions.
The main goals of the study were to determine the prevalence of MGUS in Ranch Hand veterans compared with controls, and to assess the risk for MGUS related to the body burden of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), an Agent Orange component known to be a human carcinogen.
The study’s base population consisted of 1,951 USAF personnel who took part in the Air Force Health Study (AFHS), in which serum specimens were collected and stored at six intervals between 1982 and 2002. The investigators also had access to AFHS questionnaires and physical exam and laboratory data, which provided a wealth of information on age, race, military occupation, body mass index, smoking history, drinking history, history of cancer treatment and causes of death for deceased USAF personnel.
The final study population consisted of 479 Ranch Hand veterans and 479 controls, all men, with a median age of 65 years and with similar medical histories and demographic and lifestyle characteristics.
The researchers found the crude prevalence of MGUS to be 7.1% in Ranch Hand veterans and 3.1% in comparison veterans. Being a Ranch Hand veteran also correlated significantly with having increased body TCDD levels, with 47.5% of exposed veterans having levels above 10.92 parts per trillion (ppt) compared with 2.5% of the unexposed veterans. Furthermore, veterans with TCDD levels of 10.92 ppt or higher had a 2.43-fold greater prevalence of MGUS than those with 3.65 ppt or lower.
- See more at: http://www.clinicaloncology.com/ViewArticle.aspx?d=Hematologic%2BMalignancies&d_id=149&i=December+2015&i_id=1276&a_id=34555#sthash.TNr6Glxc.dpuf
Now, new research brings definitive evidence that Operation Ranch Hand veterans, U.S. Air Force (USAF) personnel who conducted aerial missions spraying the chemical during the Vietnam War, are more than two times as likely to have MGUS as other veterans (JAMA Oncol 2015;1[8]:1061-1068, PMID: 26335650).
“There has already been approval by the federal government to compensate people who served in the Vietnam War and developed lymphoma and myeloma, but there was no scientific evidence behind that—it was a political consensus,” said lead researcher C. Ola Landgren, MD, PhD a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and the chief of the Myeloma Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, both in New York City. “That motivated my colleagues and me to follow up on prior findings and investigate the link between MGUS and exposure to Agent Orange.”
To do so, Dr. Landgren and his colleagues carried out a detailed examination of data and stored blood samples obtained from Operation Ranch Hand veterans and comparison veterans who served in Southeast Asia at the same time, from 1962 to 1971, but were not involved in herbicide spray missions.
The main goals of the study were to determine the prevalence of MGUS in Ranch Hand veterans compared with controls, and to assess the risk for MGUS related to the body burden of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), an Agent Orange component known to be a human carcinogen.
The study’s base population consisted of 1,951 USAF personnel who took part in the Air Force Health Study (AFHS), in which serum specimens were collected and stored at six intervals between 1982 and 2002. The investigators also had access to AFHS questionnaires and physical exam and laboratory data, which provided a wealth of information on age, race, military occupation, body mass index, smoking history, drinking history, history of cancer treatment and causes of death for deceased USAF personnel.
The final study population consisted of 479 Ranch Hand veterans and 479 controls, all men, with a median age of 65 years and with similar medical histories and demographic and lifestyle characteristics.
The researchers found the crude prevalence of MGUS to be 7.1% in Ranch Hand veterans and 3.1% in comparison veterans. Being a Ranch Hand veteran also correlated significantly with having increased body TCDD levels, with 47.5% of exposed veterans having levels above 10.92 parts per trillion (ppt) compared with 2.5% of the unexposed veterans. Furthermore, veterans with TCDD levels of 10.92 ppt or higher had a 2.43-fold greater prevalence of MGUS than those with 3.65 ppt or lower.
- See more at: http://www.clinicaloncology.com/ViewArticle.aspx?d=Hematologic%2BMalignancies&d_id=149&i=December+2015&i_id=1276&a_id=34555#sthash.TNr6Glxc.dpuf
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