Copd

[tinkerertn]

does any one have any information on copd as related to agent orange. I was under the impression it was only lung cancer??

[jbasser]

I dont believe COPD is a presumptive fopr Agent Orange, however, many folks with COPD have Ischemic Heart disease which is a new presumptive for AO exposure.

Berta may add to this one.

J

[Berta]

John -you are correct.

COPD could possibly be secondary to an AO disability-possibly------

That would take not only SC for the prime condition under AO regs but then strong medical evidence of the AO disability as causing or contributing to the C0PD.

Lung disease- and AO

MOPH learned a bitter lesson about 2 years ago-

They told a widow whose husband (incountry Vietnam) had died of lung cancer that her DIC was in the bag.

I dont know what bag they were talking about.

The veteran's lung cancer was not of a soft tissue sarcoma nature.The VA denied the DIC claim.

I repeat this many times over the years here- the list of 35 or more types soft tissue sarcomas -all service connectable to AO- are within the AO presumptive regulations.

The fact that the AO list separates these cancers into other conditions in the regs is confusing and I bet many SOs dont have a clue as to the actual STS AO regs.

Edited November 29, 2009 by Berta

[Berta]

COPD can be proven due to inservice exposure to any contaminant or chemical that would- as likely as not- be the etiology of the COPD.This often takes an IMO.

I have friend with COPD due to mustard gas exposure.He awaits his decision as he had to prove his exposure, had to get medical opinion that the mustard gas caused his COPD and then he had to get proof of full body exposure to MG during service.All that has taken him years to get the evidence but he managed to keep the claim open.