Some Facts about Agent Orange/Dioxin |
Agent Orange was the code name for a herbicide developed for the military, primarily for use in tropical climates. Although the genesis of the product goes back to the 1940's, serious testing for military applications did not begin until the early 1960's. The purpose of the product was to deny an enemy cover and concealment in dense terrain by defoliating trees and shrubbery where the enemy could hide. The product "Agent Orange" (a code name for the orange band that was used to mark the drums it was stored in, was principally effective against broad-leaf foliage, such as the dense jungle-like terrain found in Southeast Asia. The product was tested in Vietnam in the early 1960's, and brought into ever widening use during the height of the war (1967-68), though it's use was diminished and eventually discontinued in 1971. Agent Orange was a 50-50 mix of two chemicals, known conventionally as 2,4,D and 2,4,5,T. The combined product was mixed with kerosene or diesel fuel and dispersed by aircraft, vehicle, and hand spraying. An estimated 19 million gallons of Agent Orange were used in South Vietnam during the war. The earliest health concerns about Agent Orange were about the product's contamination with TCDD, or dioxin. TCDD is one of a family of dioxins, some found in nature, and are cousins of the dibenzofurans and PCB's. The TCDD found in Agent Orange is thought to be harmful to man. In laboratory tests on animals, TCDD has caused a wide variety of diseases, many of them fatal. TCDD is not found in nature, but rather is a man-made and always unwanted byproduct of the chemical manufacturing process. The Agent Orange used in Vietnam was later found to be extremely contaminated with TCDD. The case of the Vietnam veteran's exposure to dioxin through Agent Orange presents the most complex epidemiological problem ever imagined. The test is this: How do you determine, among 2.5 million Vietnam veterans, who was exposed to Agent Orange, to what degree and extent, and what if any, is the resultant harm of that exposure? Some of the difficulties encountered when confronting this problem include: 1. An estimated 2.5 million men and women served in Vietnam. During their tour or tours, they may have been highly mobile, moving about the countryside throughout an area as big as the state of California. Tracking a single individual for every day of their tour is extraordinarily difficult; tracking large numbers is almost impossible. 2. How can exposure be quantified with precision? "Exposure" in epidemiological means the person had the "opportunity" for contact in some manner with the chemical. But what is contact? Does this mean direct contact, such as physically being sprayed with the products, or does it include more remote opportunities, such as contact through airborne particulates, or contact through the food and water chain? 3. Degree of exposure: This is sometimes called the dose/response factor in science. In order to estimate the health effect of an exposure, it is useful (some say critical) to be able to estimate "how much" exposure a person may have had, in quantity, frequency, and duration as well as means of exposure. 4. Effect: Science looks for "cause and effect" in determining health outcomes. If is extremely difficult to accurately state that a behavior or exposure causes an outcome. For example, it is widely accepted that cigarette smoking may cause lung cancer, but this does not account for those who smoke for years and never get cancer, or those who never smoked and get the disease. 5. Delay: Many diseases, including cancer, have extremely long latency periods. It is possible, therefore, for a person to be exposed to a toxin, and not have the effect of that exposure manifested for twenty years or more. During the years, however, a person may have been "insulted" with other additional exposures through the workplace or the environment. It becomes extremely difficult assessing and separating these "confounding" exposures when looking for the source of a disease. Keeping these difficult criteria in mind, we shall next examine the efforts at studying the effect of Agent Orange exposure. The Use of Herbicides Agricultural research in the quest for synthetic herbicides has been on going since the 1930's. Classified military research on herbicides took place throughout World War II, primarily at Ft. Detrick, Maryland. It was not until the 1950's, however, that effective herbicides began to be developed (effective in the sense that they would destroy a variety of types of plants). The first tests of what was to become Agent Orange (a mixture of the chemicals 2,4,D and 2,4,5,T took place at Camp Drum, New York in 1959. The first operational field tests in Vietnam took place in 1961. Other testing programs were also conducted in Thailand in 1964-65. The term "Agent Orange" was at the time merely one of several used to identify various herbicides used in Vietnam. Others included Agents White, Blue, Purple, Pink and Green. Agent Orange was used in by far the largest quantities in Vietnam. The primary service responsible for the application of Agent Orange was the U.S. Air Force. Project "Hades" eventually became Operation Ranch hand, whose motto became "Only we can prevent forests"... Most Agent Orange was sprayed from Hercules C-123 Providers, specially equipped with spray booms to spray the herbicide, which was mixed 50-50 with kerosene or diesel fuel for better dispersion. These "fixed wing" missions were carefully recorded on computer tapes known as the "Herbs Tapes". Other spray missions, (particularly near base camp perimeters) were performed by U.S. Army Chemical Corps, primarily from specially equipped UH1 "Huey" helicopters. Spraying from both truck and backpack were utilized along roadways. The Navy also sprayed riverbanks from small PBR-type boats. These spray missions were recorded on computer tapes known as the "Service Herbs Tapes". The important factor in Agent Orange was its contamination with TCDD or dioxin. The Agent Orange in Vietnam was contaminated in amounts from 0.05 to almost 50 parts per million, with the mean contamination being 2 parts per million (ppm). This contamination resulted in an estimated 368 pounds of dioxin sprayed over Vietnam over a six-year period. The last helicopter spray mission was flown in Vietnam on October 31, 1971. |
IN MEMORY OF ALL AGENT ORANGE BROTHERS AND SISTERS THAT HAVE GONE ON BEFORE US AND THOSE THAT ARE NOW FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES. |
For a real history lesson about ALL the women who served in Vietnam click on this banner. |
Another great site to visit! Not just Nurses served in Vietnam! |
Even more information about the Chemicals used in Vietnam The Fifteen Herbicides Were Used in Vietnam PURPLE: A formulation of 2,4,-D and 2,4,5,-T used between 1962 and 1964. GREEN: Contained 2,4,5-T and was used 1962-1964. PINK: Contained 2,4,5-T and was used 1962-1964. ORANGE: A formulation of 2,4,-D and 2,4,5-T used between 1965 and 1970. WHITE: A formulation of Picloram and 2,4,-D. BLUE: Contained cacodylic acid. ORANGE II: A formulation of 2,4, -D and 2,4,5-T used in 1968 and 1969 (also sometimes referred to as "Super Orange") DINOXOL: A formulation of 2,4, -D and 2,4,5-T. Small quantities were tested in Vietnam between 1962 and 1964. TRINOXOL: Contained 2,4,5-T. Small quantities tested in Vietnam 1962-1964. BROMACIL DIQUAT: TANDEX: MONURON: DIURON: DALAPON: Small quantities of all of the above were tested in Vietnam, 1962-1964. Filing a Claim with the VA If a veteran believes that he or she has been harmed by anything in their military experience, they have the right to file a claim for treatment and compensation with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). A claim can be filed at any time and there is never a charge to file a claim. How to File a Claim: A claim can be filed at any VA office or medical center. Many cities also have storefront "Vet Centers" where a claim may be filed. It can also be done by mail, after requesting the appropriate forms from the VA. Most telephone directories will list the nearest VA facilities under "US Government" Assistance of a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) may also be sought. All major veterans organizations (American Legion, VFW, DAV, etc) have service officers authorized by the VA to act in behalf of the veteran. In addition, many state and county government agencies have VSO's. Once again, there is never a charge for the assistance of the VSO. A caution: As with anything else, there are good VSO's and bad VSO's. The veteran must feel comfortable with his VSO, because this person will be handling the veteran's paperwork and (hopefully) advancing the claim. The veteran should be comfortable working with his VSO and feel that progress is being made. If the veteran feels that his claim is not being handled properly, he should not hesitate to find a different VSO to assist him. Agent Orange Claims: An Agent Orange claim is filed the same as any other claim; essentially it is a claim for injury during service in the military. It is not necessary to discuss Agent Orange in the filing of the claim, and in fact, it can be detrimental. As the veteran, all you must do is describe, to the best of your ability, the injury or disease. This should be done in layman's terms; you are not a physician and should not attempt self-diagnosis. The VA will accept the claim, and schedule the veteran for a medical examination. At that time, the veteran should inform the physician that he was in Vietnam. An "Agent Orange " tag should then be affixed to the veterans file. If you have seen a private physician, medical reports can and should be included with the claim. There is no value, however, in a physician's opinion that the disease was caused by Agent Orange. Quite simply put, most physicians are not qualified to make this assessment unless they are a researcher. Many veterans think that a letter from their doctor stating that the physician thinks this was caused by Agent Orange will help --- the truth is that it does not. Currently the VA offers compensation for only certain diseases as related to Agent Orange. This does not mean, however, that your condition may not be awarded. The VA may award for a condition as related to some other cause. Regardless of potential disposition, if you have a health problem from military service: File the Claim!! Laws change, and a condition that may not be compensable today, may well be compassable tomorrow. The only way you can protect your rights is to file the claim. VA claims are usually awarded back to date of filing. If you do not file, you forfeit your rights. Agent Orange Registry What is it? In mid-1978, the Veterans Administration, now known as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), set up a register of Vietnam Veterans who were worried that they may have been exposed to chemical herbicides which might be causing a variety of ill effects and who took an extensive medical examination offered at all VA health care facilities. The Agent Orange Registery is a computerized index of those examinations. What should a participating veteran expect? Each veteran participating in this volunatary program, offered at all VA medical centers, is given the following baseline laboratory studies: chest x-ray (if one has not been done within the past 6 months); complete blood count; blood chemistries, and enzyme studies; and urinalysis. Particular attention is paid to the detection of chloracne, porphyria cutanea tards, soft tissue sarcoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, respiratory cancers, multiple myeloma, prostrate cancer, and peripheral neuropathy. Evidence is also sought concerning the following potentially relevant symptoms or conditions: altered sex drive; congenital deformities (birth defects, including spina bifida) among children [(the Vet's children)]; repeated infections, nervous system disorders; sterility; and difficulties in carrying pregnancies to term. How does a veteran benefit from taking the Agent Orange Registry examination? The examination provides the participating veteran with an opportunity to receive a complete health evaluation and answers to questions concerning the current state of knowledge regarding the possible relationship between herbicide exposure and subsequent health problems. Following completion of the examination, the veteran is given results of the physical exam and laboratory studies. This information is provided to the veteran by both a face-to-face discussion with a physician familiar with the health aspects of the Agent Orange issue and a follow-up letter summarizing results of the examination. Occassionally, previously undetected medical problems are found. With prompt attention, many times these illnesses can be successfully treated. Registry participants are automatically added to the mailing list for the "Agent Orange Review," a newsletter that provides valuable information about Agent Orange developments. The Registry permits VA to contact veterans for further testing if continuing research efforts should make this action advisable. Following decisions by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs during the past several years to recognize additional illnesses as service-connected, VA contacted Registry participants with these diagnoses to urge them to file claims for disability compensation. Does the Agent Orange Registry have an impact on research efforts? VA scientists carefully review Registry data. The Registry provides a means of detecting clues or suggestions of specific health problems in the event that unexpected or unusual health trends show up in this group of veterans. Such clues could then form the basis for the design and conduct of specific scientific studies. Who is eligible? Any veteran, male or female, who had active military service in the Republic of Vietnam between 1962 and 1975, and expresses a concern relating to exposure to herbicides may participate in the Registry. Eligible veterans who want to participate in this program should contact the nearest VA medical facility for an appointment. A veteran who did not serve in Vietnam is not eligible for the Agent Orange Registry examination. Similarly, the spouses and children of veterans are not eligible for this examination. What are the limitations and uses of the Registry? No special Agent Orange tests are offered since there is no test to show if a veteran's medical problem was caused by Agent Orange or other herbicides used in Vietnam. There are tests that show the level of dioxin in human fat and blood, but such tests are used for research and are not done by VA because there is serious question about their value to veterans. It is important to understand that the Agent Orange Registry is not a scientific study. Because of the self-selected nature of the Registry participants (that is, the individuals decide themselves to be part of the Registry, rather than being "chosen" in a scientific manner), this group of veterans cannot, with any scientific validity, be viewed as being representative of Vietnam veterans as a whole. Therefore, the health-related information collected cannot be used for scientific research. The information can, however, be used to detect possible health trends, as noted above, and can provide some useful facts about the group itself. For example, it is possible to show the numbers in each branch of military service, the period(s) of service in Vietnam, kinds of symptoms veterans are experiencing, and some of the results of the physical examinations. From this type of information, it is possible to develop the relative frequency or internal proportional distribution of certain health problems. That is, we could find that health conditions "A" is appearing in five times as many Registry participants as problem "B." However, since participation in the Registry program is entirely volunatary, one cannot make statistically valid comparisons directly between this group of veterans and other groups of veterans or on-veterans. Who has participated in this Registry? More than 250,000 Vietnam veterans have already participated in this program. Although the program is approximately 18 years old, many veterans are still contacting the VA each week for their initial Registry examination. Many of these veterans have no medical problems; others present a wide range of ailments. Veterans interested in receiving the Agent Orange Registry examination should contact the nearest VA medical center. If a veteran who has participated in the Agent Orange Registry examination program changes residence who should he or she contact? A veteran who moves after receiving the Agent Orange examination should contact the Agent Orange Coordinator at the nearest VA medical center and the Agent Orange Clerk (200/197B), VA Automation Center, 1615 Woodward Street, Austin, Texas 78772-0001. Both the old and new addresses should be indicated. If a Vietnam veteran receives an Agent Orange Registry examination, does that automatically make him or her eligible for disability compensation? No. Veterans who wish to be considered for disability compensation must file a claim for that benefit. Many Agent Orange Registry participants have no medical problems. For more information regarding disability compensation, see Agent Orange Brief, B3. When will the Agent Orange Registry examination program be ended? There are no plans to stop the Registry. The examinations will continue for the foreseeable future. Who should be contacted for additional information regarding the Agent Orange Registry? At each VA medical center there is a "Registry Physician" responsible for the conduct of Agent Orange Registry examinations. These individuals participate in regularly scheduled nationwide conference calls and receive mailouts from VA headquarters updating them on the latest developments on Agent Orange. Each medical center also has an Agent Orange Coordinator who has a great deal of information about the Agent Orange Registry and related matters. VA medical center libraries also have considerable information, including books and videotapes, regarding Agent Orange. The Environmental Agents Service (131), Department of Vetrans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20420, is another good source of information on this subject. |
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