Reviewed Data Changes Agent Orange Finding

WASHINGTON — An Institute of Medicine review of the scientific data looking at the connection between Vietnam veterans’ exposure to Agent Orange and a rare form of childhood leukemia in veterans’ offspring has failed to produce evidence supporting a link.

“Right now, the scientific evidence doesn’t support a connection between this disease in the children of Vietnam veterans and Agent Orange exposure,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi.  “If future studies reach the legal threshold, I will support creating benefits for these children of Vietnam veterans.”

Last April, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) issued a report that found  “limited / suggestive” evidence of a connection between a parent’s exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides during the Vietnam War and children who contract acute myelogenous leukemia (AML).  The report prompted Principi to call for legislation that would provide federal benefits to children with AML who had a parent who served in Vietnam.  

Last year’s IOM review relied heavily upon the work of Australian researchers who examined AML among the families of Australians who served in Vietnam.  Less than a month after the original IOM report, the Australian researchers discovered errors in their own work and corrected their findings.

Subsequently, Principi asked IOM to reevaluate the medical evidence linking Agent Orange exposure to AML, in light of the revised Australian study.  The results of the second IOM review were released today.  IOM found there is “inadequate or insufficient evidence to determine if an association exists between exposure to the herbicides used in Vietnam . . . and AML.”

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