VA FACT SHEET ON HERBICIDES LIKE AGENT ORANGE

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Facts About Herbicides
Herbicide-sprayed areas and unsprayed areas

Agent Orange is a blend of tactical herbicides the U.S. military sprayed from 1962 to 1971 during Operation Ranch Hand in the Vietnam War to remove trees and dense tropical foliage that provided enemy cover.

More than 19 million gallons of various “rainbow” herbicide combinations were sprayed, but Agent Orange was the combination the U.S. military used most often. The name “Agent Orange” came from the orange identifying stripe used on the 55-gallon drums in which it was stored.

Heavy sprayed areas included forests near the demarcation zone, forests at the junction of the borders of Cambodia, Laos, and South Vietnam, and mangroves on the southernmost peninsula of Vietnam and along shipping channels southeast of Saigon.

The U.S. Department of Defense developed these tactical herbicides specifically to be used in “combat operations.” They were not commercial grade herbicides purchased from chemical companies and sent to Vietnam. Tactical herbicides also were used, tested, and stored in areas outside of Vietnam.

Learn how Veterans may have been exposed to Agent Orange and other herbicides during military service, including outside Vietnam.

Agent Orange active ingredients and characteristics

The two active ingredients in the Agent Orange herbicide combination were equal amounts of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T), which contained traces of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD).

The dioxin TCDD was an unwanted byproduct of herbicide production. Dioxins are pollutants that are released into the environment by burning waste, diesel exhaust, chemical manufacturing, and other processes. TCDD is the most toxic of the dioxins, and is classified as a human carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Agent Orange dries quickly after spraying and breaks down within hours to days when exposed to sunlight (if not bound chemically to a biological surface such as soil, leaves and grass) and is no longer harmful.

VETERANS, AGENT ORANGE AND PROSTRATE CANCER

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
Diseases Associated with Agent Orange » Prostate Cancer

Veterans who develop prostate cancer and were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service do not have to prove a connection between their prostate cancer and military service to be eligible to receive VA health care and disability compensation.
Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate, a small gland in the male reproductive system.

Some men may have urinary problems, but some men don't have symptoms early on. If you have any health concerns, talk with your health care provider.

The greatest risk factor for prostate cancer is increasing age. Other risk factors include having a father or brother with the disease and being African American.

Prostate cancer is often first detected with a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test or digital rectal exam. Talk with your health care provider about your risk and the pros and cons of screening.

Visit Medline Plus to learn about treatment for prostate cancer, the latest medical research, and more from the National Institutes of Health

VA HAS IDENTIFIED RESPIRATORY CANCERS ASSOCIATED WITH AGENT ORANGE

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 

Veterans' Diseases Associated with Agent Orange » Respiratory Cancers

Veterans who develop respiratory cancer (lung, bronchus, larynx, or trachea) and
were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service do not have to prove a connection between their disease and service to be eligible to receive VA health care and disability compensation.

About respiratory cancers

Respiratory cancers are cancers of the lung, larynx, trachea, and bronchus.
Symptoms vary, depending on the location of the cancer:

Lung cancer—a new cough or cough that doesn't go away, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, chest pain, hoarseness

Cancer of the trachea—dry cough, hoarseness, breathlessness, difficulty swallowing

Cancer of the larynx (at the top of the trachea)—hoarseness, voice changes, sore throat or earache, feeling of a lump in the throat
Cancer of the bronchus—cough, chest pain, coughing blood
Visit Medline Plus to learn more about treatment of cancer and the latest research from the National Institutes of Health.

Guard against lung cancer
Number one rule: Don’t smoke and avoid second-hand smoke. VA can help you every step of the way to quit smoking.

VA benefits for respiratory cancers
Veterans with respiratory cancers (lung, bronchus, larynx, or trachea) who were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during service may be eligible for disability compensation and health care.

Veterans who served in Vietnam, the Korean demilitarized zone or another area where Agent Orange was sprayed may be eligible for an Agent Orange Registry health exam, a free, comprehensive examination.

Surviving spouses, dependent children and dependent parents of Veterans who were exposed to herbicides during military service and died as the result of respiratory cancers may be eligible for survivors' benefits.

Research on respiratory cancers and herbicides used in Vietnam
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences concluded in its 1994 report "Veterans and Agent Orange: Health Effects of Herbicides Used in Vietnam" and in future updates that there is limited/suggestive evidence of an association between exposure to herbicides (2,4-D; 2,4,5-T and its contaminant TCDD; cacodylic acid; and picloram) and respiratory cancers.

In updates to this report, IOM noted that associations linking development of respiratory cancers and exposure to dioxin were found consistently only when herbicide exposures appeared to be high and prolonged.

VA ANNOUNCES ALMOST ALL AGENT ORANGE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN PROCESSED

Photo:  Huey-Helicopter Spraying Agent Orange in Vietnam.   Credit:  U.S. Department of Defense.

FROM:  U.S. VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
VA Nearly Done With Agent Orange Claims
June 19, 2012 by Alex Horton
About two years ago, Secretary Shinseki made the decision to award presumptions of service connection to certain diseases that may have been caused by exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. That decision added nearly a quarter of a million claims to an already stressed backlog, but it was a long overdue victory for Vietnam Vets and their families who waited too long for action.

Today, VA announced that nearly all of the 230,000 claims for Agent Orange presumption for diseases including ischemic heart disease, hairy cell and other chronic B-cell leukemias, and Parkinson’s disease have been processed, which has put $3.6 billion into the hands of Vietnam Vets and their survivors. The most experienced raters, about 36 percent of all employees who handle claims, were put on these claims to get the claims finished as soon as possible.

Now that nearly all Agent Orange presumption claims have been completed, the 1,200 claims workers diverted to this unprecedented action will return to normal duties. This will surely help tackle the backlog, which significantly grown as Veterans return from Iraq and Afghanistan and file more complex claims at a higher rate than ever before (45 percent of new Veterans submit claims after service). VA completed one million claims in each of the last two years, an unprecedented number, but the amount of claims submitted outpaced those numbers.

VA has put together a transformation plan that emphasizes technology and new processes to finish claims faster and more accurately. The Veterans Benefits Management System is on its way to 16 regional offices this year, and will be found at 56 regional offices by the end of next year.

Veterans who may qualify for Agent Orange presumption include those who were exposed based on duty or visitation in Vietnam or on its inland waterways between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975; exposed along the demilitarized zone in Korea between April 1, 1968, and August 31, 1971; or exposed due to herbicide tests and storage at military bases within and outside of the United States. Check out the Agent Orange Fast Track web site if you think you may be affected by the diseases listed above as a result of Agent Orange exposure.

STUDY TO DETERMINE IF HYPERTENSION AND RESPIRATORY DISEASES RELATED TO VIETNAM WAR HERBICIDE AGENT ORANGE

FROM: U .S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
The Army Chemical Corps Vietnam-Era Veterans Health Study is designed to learn if high blood pressure (hypertension) and some chronic respiratory diseases are related to herbicide exposure during the Vietnam War.

Background
This study follows a request by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki for VA to conduct research on the association between herbicide exposure and high blood pressure (hypertension), as a basis for understanding if hypertension is related to military service in Vietnam.  VA is also interested in learning more about the relationship between herbicide exposure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
This study is a follow-up of a similar study conducted between 1999-2000. We have examined the health status of individuals who served in the Army Chemical Corps since the 1990s.

Goals
Researchers have two questions:
Is the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) related to Agent Orange exposure during service in Vietnam?
Is the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, related to Agent Orange exposure during service in Vietnam?

Participants
Researchers are asking approximately 4,000 Veterans who served in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps sometime during the Vietnam era (1965-1973) to participate in this study.  Army Chemical Corps personnel were responsible for the maintenance and distribution or application of chemicals for military operations. Army Chemical Corps personnel who served in Vietnam during the Vietnam War constitute the largest group of Army Vietnam Veterans who were thought to have had the greatest potential exposure to herbicides.

We have already selected participants from earlier Army Chemical Corps study rosters, and researchers cannot accept volunteers for this study. Each Veteran selected for this study represents other Veterans with similar characteristics.

Methods
We are conducting telephone interviews, reviewing medical records, and measuring the blood pressure and lung function of these Veterans.

Investigators
Han Kang, Dr.P.H.
Aaron Schneiderman, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.N.
Yasmin Cypel, Ph.D.
Amii Kress, M.P.H.
Stephanie Eber, M.P.H.

PARKINSON’S DISEASE AND AGENT ORANGE

FROM:  VETERANS HEALTH WEBSITE
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative brain disorder that leads to shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with walking, balance, and coordination.

Signs and symptoms are: tremor, or trembling in hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face; rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; slowness of movement; and impaired balance and coordination.
Visit MedlinePlus to learn about treatment, the latest medical research, and more from the National Institutes of Health.

VA benefits for Parkinson's disease
Veterans with Parkinson’s disease who were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service may be eligible for disability compensation and health care.
Vietnam Veterans may apply for disability compensation for Parkinson's disease using VA'sFast Track Claims Processing System.

Veterans who served in Vietnam, the Korean demilitarized zone or another area where Agent Orange was sprayed may be eligible for an Agent Orange Registry health exam, a free, comprehensive examination.
Surviving spouses, dependent children and dependent parents of Veterans who were exposed to herbicides during military service and died as the result of Parkinson's disease may be eligible for survivors' benefits.
Research on Parkinson's disease and herbicides used in Vietnam

The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy concluded in its report "Veterans and Agent Orange: Update 2008" released July 24, 2009, that there is "suggestive but limited evidence that exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides used during the Vietnam War is associated with an increased chance of developing Parkinson’s disease."

As a result, VA recognized Parkinson’s disease as associated with exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service.  VA's final regulation recognizing this association took effect on October 30, 2010.