Affairs

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| #  Veterans Affairs                                                   |
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###  Agent Orange Brief

**Prepared by the Environmental Agents Service (131)**

B4 VA Central Office, Washington, DC 20420 Aug. 2002

## 

> **VA INFORMATION RESOURCES ON AGENT ORANGE AND RELATED MATTERS**

**Review of Literature on Herbicides, Including Phenoxy Herbicides and
Associated Dioxins** -- This multi-volume document was primarily
designed for use by researchers, physicians, scientists, and others with
similar backgrounds. Public Law 96-151 mandated the initial review in
December 1979. The first two volumes were released in 1981. Updates (in
two volume sets) were issued in 1984 and each year thereafter through
1994. Independent contractors have prepared the review. Because the
National Academy of Sciences is reviewing the scientific literature on
the effects of herbicides and reporting biannually to the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs, this project was discontinued.

Volume I Analysis of Literature \$9.00

GPO Stock No. 051-000-00154-1

October 1981

Volume II Annotated Bibliography \$9.50

GPO Stock No. 051-000-00155-9

October 1981

Volume III Analysis of Literature \$9.50

GPO Stock No. 051-000-0164-8

April 1984

Volume IV Annotated Bibliography \$3.25

GPO Stock No. 051-000-0165-6

April 1984

Volume V Analysis of Literature \$6.00

GPO Stock No. 051-000-00-173-7

July 1985

Volume VI Annotated Bibliography \$2.75

GPO Stock No. 051-000-00-173-5

July 1985

Volumes VII Analysis of Literature and Annotated Bibliography \$7.50

and VIII GPO Stock No. 051-000-00186-9 (combined document)

October 1986

Volumes IX Analysis of Literature and Annotated Bibliography

and X Not available from GPO (combined document)

July 1987

Volumes XI Analysis of Literature and Annotated Bibliography

and XII Not available from GPO (combined document)

July 1988

Volumes XIII Analysis of Literature and Annotated Bibliography

and XIV Not available from GPO (combined document)

June 1989

Volumes XV Analysis of Literature and Annotated Bibliography

and XVI Not available from GPO (combined document)

May 1990

Volumes XVII Analysis of Literature and Annotated Bibliography

and XVIII Not available from GPO (combined document)

August 1991

Volumes XIX Analysis of Literature and Annotated Bibliography

and XX Not available from GPO (combined document)

June 1992

Volumes XXI Analysis of Literature and Annotated Bibliography

and XXII Not available from GPO (combined document)

June 1993

Volumes XXIII Analysis of Literature and Annotated Bibliography

and XXIV Not available from GPO (combined document)

June 1994

**Synopsis of Scientific Literature on Phenoxy Herbicides and Associated
Dioxins** -- These documents summarize in non-technical language the
literature reviews cited above. Number 1 in the synopsis series
corresponds with Volumes I -- IV of the literature review; Number 2 with
Volumes V -- VI; Number 3 with Volumes VII -- VIII; Number 4 with
Volumes IX -- X; Number 5 with Volumes XI -- XII; Number 6 with Volumes
XIII -- XIV; Number 7 with Volumes XV -- XVI; Number 8 with Volumes XVII
-- XVIII; Number 9 with Volumes XIX -- XX; Number 10 with Volumes XXI --
XXII; and Number 11 with Volumes XXIII -- XXIV.

**Monographs** -- The VA's Agent Orange Projects Office (now known as
the Environmental Agents Service or EAS) published several technical
documents of interest to individuals concerned about the use of
herbicides in Vietnam:

**Cacodylic Acid:  Agricultural Uses, Biologic Effects, and Environmental
Fate** by Ronald D. Hood, Ph.D. -- GPO Stock No. 051-000-00177-0 -
\$6.00

December 1985

**Birth Defects and Genetic Counseling** by Annemarie Sommer, M.D.

October 1985

**Human Exposure to Phenoxy Herbicides** by Terry L. Lavy, Ph.D. -- NTIS
Accession No. PB 88231857 - \$19.95

May 1987

To purchase items with GPO stock numbers, write to the Superintendent of
Documents, United States Government Printing Office, Washington, DC
20402. Please note that some of the GPO documents may be out of stock.

To purchase the monograph with the NTIS accession number, write to the
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Technical Information Service,
Springfield, VA 22161. The EAS (131), Department of Veterans Affairs,
810 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20420, has a limited supply of
many of these documents. These items are also maintained in all VA
medical center libraries.

**Agent Orange Web Page**: <http://www.va.gov/agentorange>. The site
provides a great deal of information involving many of the publications
listed below.

**Agent Orange Review** -- From 1982 to 1989, this newsletter was
prepared by the VA's Office of Public Affairs in Washington, DC, with
the assistance of the VA's EAS. In 1989, the EAS -- then called the
Environmental Medicine Office -- assumed primary responsibility for this
publication. The "Review" is published periodically to provide
information on Agent Orange to concerned veterans and their families.
The newsletter provides updated information about Federal government
studies and activities related to Agent Orange and the Vietnam
experience. Anyone interested in getting a copy of the "Review" should
contact the Agent Orange Registry Coordinator at the nearest VA medical
center or the EAS (131), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont
Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20420. EAS also produces a similar
newsletter for Gulf War veterans. That publication is known as the "Gulf
War Review."

**Agent Orange Helpline** - In March 2001, VA established a national
toll free telephone number for Agent orange related concerns (800)
749-8387, by expanding the six year old Gulf War helpline.

**Agent Orange Videotapes** -- The Regional Learning Resources Service
at the VA Medical Center in St. Louis, Missouri, has produced several
Agent Orange videotape programs with the assistance of the EAS. These
programs explain what Agent Orange was, where, when, and how it was
used, why concerns arose among those exposed to it, and what VA and
other departments and agencies are doing in response to these concerns.
The videotapes are maintained at many VA medical centers.

**Agent Orange Brief** -- The paper you are now reading is one of a
series of three-to-twelve page fact sheets, prepared by the EAS, to help
answer questions about Agent Orange and related matters. The series is
updated on a regular basis. The Agent Orange Coordinator at all VA
medical centers should have copies of all Agent Orange Briefs and
questions or ideas concerning these fact sheets should be directed to
the EAS (131), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, DC 20420.

**VA Field Staff** -- Each VA medical center has a Registry Physician
and an Agent Orange Registry Coordinator. Registry Physicians are
responsible for the clinical management of the Agent Orange program at
the VA facility where they work. These doctors meet with concerned
veterans, conduct examinations, document medical programs, and answer
health-related questions from Vietnam veterans and their families. Agent
Orange Coordinators handle Agent Orange program administrative matters
at VA health care facilities. They schedule appointments, review records
for accuracy and completeness, and collect data for reporting purposes.

Veterans Benefit Counselors (VBC) located in VA regional offices and
many medical centers possess a wealth of information about the wide
range of VA benefits. These counselors have all the forms necessary to
apply for VA benefits, including disability compensation and dependency
and indemnity compensation. VBC's also assist veterans and their
survivors in completing these forms, if necessary.

VA vet center personnel also are very helpful to Vietnam veterans
experiencing difficulties readjusting to civilian life. There are more
than 200 vet centers nationwide. Vet centers offer individual, group,
and family counseling.

**VA National Headquarters** - The Environmental Agents Service or EAS
in Washington, DC, is an excellent source of information about Agent
Orange. The office was organized more than seventeen years ago. While
the staff is quite small, many veterans have found the personnel to be
very helpful. Comments, suggestions, and criticisms about VA's Agent
Orange program are always welcome. The mailing address is EAS (131), 810
Vermont Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20420. The telephone number is
202-273-8580.

**Non-VA sources** -- Veterans service organizations (such as The
American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Disabled
American Veterans, AMVETS, Vietnam Veterans of America, VietNow) and
State government entities (such as Agent Orange Commissions, Departments
or Divisions of Veterans Affairs, Departments of Health) have also
assisted many veterans.

**National Academy of Sciences (NAS) --** Under a contract with VA, the
Institute of Medicine, a component of the NAS, prepared an 832-page
report, entitled **Veterans and Agent Orange:
 Health Effects of Herbicides Used in Vietnam.** The report, released in
July 1993 and available in hardbound form with a 1994 copyright,
provides a historical review of the issue, examines studies of
populations environmentally and occupationally exposed to herbicides and
dioxin, and discusses problems in study methodology. Reproductive
effects, neurobehavioral disorders, and other health effects.

The core of the book presents what is known about the toxicology of
dioxin and the herbicides used in greatest quantities in Vietnam, what
is known about assessing exposure to herbicides and dioxin, what can be
determined from the wide range of epidemiological studies conducted by
different authorities, and what is known about the relationship between
exposure to herbicides and dioxin, and cancer, In March 1996, the NAS
released its first in a series of updates. The 384-page report, entitled
**Veterans and Agent Orange: Update 1996**, updates and evaluates
available scientific evidence regarding statistical associations between
disease and exposure to dioxin and other chemical compounds in
herbicides used in Vietnam, focusing on new scientific studies and
literature published since the completion of the initial NAS report. The
update gives special attention to the relationship between exposure to
herbicides and the development of birth defects and transient peripheral
neuropathy, as well as the subsequent development of prostate,
hepatobiliary, nasopharyngeal, and other cancers. It explores the
relationship between the length of time since first exposure and the
possible risk of cancer development. The publication reviews and
summarizes the strength of scientific evidence concerning the
association between herbicide use in Vietnam and each disease suspected
to be associated with such exposure.

In February 1999, the second update was released. This report is
entitled **Veterans and Agent Orange: Update 1998**. Single copies of
the NAS books are distributed to all VA medical center libraries.
Organizations or individuals interested in purchasing these documents
and subsequent publications can contact the publisher: National Academy
Press, 2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Box 285, Washington, DC 20055. The
telephone numbers are 1-800-624-6242 and 202-334-3313. These documents
can be seen on the web at **[www.nap.edu](http://www.nap.edu/)**

In October 2000, a special report on diabetes, entitled **Veterans and
Agent Orange: Herbicide/Dioxin Exposure and Type 2 Diabetes,** was
released. In April 2001, the third compressive update was released. This
report is entitled **Veterans and Agent Orange: Update 2000.** The
availability is the same as the earlier reports.

In February 2002, the second special report was released. It focused on
the acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). This report was entitled
**Veterans and Agent Orange: Herbicides/Dioxins Exposure and Acute
Myelogenous Leukemia in the Children of Vietnam Veterans.**

**Veterans Health Initiative: Vietnam Veterans and Agent Orange
Exposure** - This 112-page independent study course is designed to
provide an introduction to issues regarding the long term health
consequences of exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides used in
Vietnam. The book provides an overview of Agent Orange, the VA health
care, research, and disability compensation programs for Vietnam
Veterans and common symptoms and diagnoses of these veterans. The book,
prepared by the Environmental Agents Service in conjunction with the
Employee Education System, is on the web at
[http://www.va.gov/agentorange/docs/VHIagent
orange.pfd](http://www.va.gov/agentorange/docs/VHIagent orange.pfd).

The NAS is a **private**, nonprofit society of distinguished scholars
engaged in scientific and engineering research. Established in 1863, the
NAS is dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to
their use for the promotion of general public welfare.

Congressional committees, especially the House Committee on Veterans'
Affairs and the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, have collected a
great deal of information regarding the possible long-term health
consequences of exposure to Agent Orange.

**This fact sheet was updated in early August 2002 and does not include
subsequent developments.**