VA has dramatically accelerated the healthcare provision of the PACT Act, opening healthcare enrollment to hundreds of thousands of veterans who might have been exposed to toxic substances during their service.
Results Mixed for Military Toxic Exposure Effect on Breast Cancer Incidence
Little work has been done to investigate the relationship between MEE and risk of breast cancer.
Smaller Brainstem Volumes Found in Gulf War, Iraq/Afghanistan Veterans
Gulf War and Iraq/Afghanistan veterans have significantly smaller brainstem volumes compared to healthy civilians, and damage to the brainstem structure of these veterans could potentially lead to sleep disturbances and chronic pain, according to a recent study.
Toxicities From PARP Inhibitors for Prostate Cancer
Poly ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPis) are an important class of therapeutics for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC),
War on Terror Created High Rates of Ocular Trauma in U.S. Servicemembers
The rate of combat ocular trauma in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom exceeded that of any past U.S. conflict. A new study looked at the long-term effects of the devastating battlefield injuries.
Emerging Chemical Threats Affect Eyes Differently, Require Special Care
As chemical agent exposure remains a threat to military servicemembers, it’s important to consider that each chemical agent affects the eye differently and requires appropriate treatment, according to a recent review article.
Gulf War Illness Reduces White Blood Cells’ Ability to Make Energy
The ability of white blood cells to make energy is significantly reduced in Gulf War Illness (GWI), which affects approximately 250,000 U.S. veterans, according to a new study finding a measurable biochemical difference in veterans who have the disease.
MGUS Higher in Servicemembers, No Association Seen With Burn Pit Exposure
Individuals who have served in the U.S. military have about three times the risk of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) as a similarly aged cohort in the Icelandic iStopMM study.
Agent Orange Increases CVD Risk in Veterans With Myeloproliferative Neoplasms
As Vietnam-era veterans move into the age range in which most myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) develop, the VA has a keen interest in fully understanding the full impact of exposure to Agent Orange in veterans with these malignancies.
Agent Orange Appears to Be Prostate Cancer Risk Factor
Agent Orange exposure appears to be an independent risk factor for a prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis, although it remains unclear how Vietnam veterans exposed to the defoliant fare when it comes to metastasis or mortality.
Agent Orange Exposure Linked to Risk of Bladder Cancer in Vietnam Veterans
U.S. veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange have a modestly increased risk of bladder cancer, according to a recent study, which also found that younger Vietnam veterans appeared to be in the most peril.
New Research Suggested That Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange Have Increased Risk of Developing Progressive Blood Cancers, Such as MPNs
For the first time, new research findings have suggested that veterans exposed to Agent Orange might be at increased risk of developing progressive blood cancers, such as myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs).
PACT Act Ensures VA IPF Care for Gulf War Era, Post-9/11 Veterans
For veterans diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis due to exposure to toxins during military service, the new PACT Act could literally be a lifesaver. The law assumes a service connection between the condition for certain military servicemembers. That is especially important because the prevalence of IPF more than doubled among veterans over the last decade or so.
Digging Deeper into Agent Orange, Genomic Alterations and Prostate Cancer
The defoliant known as Agent Orange has been linked to a wide range of malignancies since the conclusion of the Vietnam War, including prostate cancer.
VA Secretary McDonough: PACT Act Claims Numbers Still Too Small
VA has had more than a half-million claims filed under the new PACT Act legislation, which expands care and benefits for former servicemembers exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances during their service.
VA Works to Comply With Expansion of Eligibility Under New PACT Act
Now that the first major provisions of the PACT Act went into effect at the beginning of last month, what happens next?
PACT Act: Hundreds of Thousands of Veterans Newly Eligible for VA Care
As of the first day this month, the VA expanded and extended eligibility for VA healthcare for specific veterans of the Gulf Wars and post-9/11 era.
GAO: Claims Processor Misunderstanding Often Denied Agent Orange Benefits to Which Vietnam Vets Were Entitled
VA claims processors have consistently failed to understand the department’s own regulations when it comes to Vietnam veterans presenting with certain Agent Orange-related conditions, prematurely denying benefits for thousands, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.
Prior to PACT Act, VA Prematurely Denied Most Burn Pit Claims
With the passage of the PACT Act last month, Congress is demanding that VA put burn pit exposure at the forefront of its healthcare and benefits processes.
Senate Changes Spread Out PACT Act Implementation Over Years
When Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act passed the House in March, it was expected to be a very hard sell in the Senate.
Choosing the Appropriate Treatment for Fragile Patients with RCC
Targeted therapies have vastly improved survival in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), despite not offering a cure for many patients. More problematically, patients often develop resistance to the drugs.
Burn Pit Exposure Legislation Likely to Get Senate Vote Soon
The Honoring Our PACT Act–the comprehensive toxic exposure legislation that passed with broad bipartisan support in the House–is looking increasingly like it will get a vote in the Senate.
Biden Underscores Commitment to Veterans Who Had Toxic Exposures
During the State of the Union address, President Joe Biden shined a light, as he has many times in the past, on the effects of toxic exposure, declaring that he would continue to make it a priority of his administration.
Senate Passes Scaled-Down Bill Providing Healthcare to Burn Pit Victims
Legislation to extend healthcare to millions of veterans suffering from the effects of toxic exposure to burn pits passed the U.S. Senate unanimously last month. Advocates caution, however, that much more still needs to be done.
DoD Called to Task Over Efforts to Deal With Past Use of PFAS at Bases
DoD officials have been called to defend the military’s ongoing clean-up and exposure tracing efforts related to its use of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are contained in, among other things, fire-retardant foam.
Veterans’ Diseases Presumed to Be Linked to Agent Orange Exposure
VA has recognized certain cancers and other health problems as presumptive diseases associated with exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service. Veterans and their survivors may be eligible for benefits for these diseases.
VA Begins Processing Claims for New Conditions Related to Agent Orange
Last month, VA began processing disability claims for asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis on a presumptive basis for veterans who served in southwest Asia and some other areas.
Red Blood Cell Changes and Exercise in Veterans with GWI
Some types of altered red blood cells can affect patients’ ability to safely exert themselves. It has been unknown, however, whether that was the case with altered red blood cell (RBC) deformability reported in veterans with Gulf War Illness (GWI).
Servicemembers Affected by Toxic Exposures Need More Specialized Healthcare
Government medical agencies need to view toxic exposure as a high-priority issue deserving of specialized centers for research and monitoring.
Veterans’ Advocates Fought to Add Agent Orange Presumptive Conditions
Having three new illnesses added to the list of conditions presumed related to Agent Orange exposure