hypertension Toxic Chemicals Exposure Spotlight 7-30-2015

[Jumpmaster]

The VA's 'Experts' On Toxic Chemicals May Not Know What They're Talking About

Veterans who were exposed to contaminated water are seeing a disturbing pattern of disability claim denials

The Department of Veterans Affairs provided Burpee with medical coverage, including hospice, but repeatedly denied his claims for disability benefits. Burpee died not knowing whether his wife, four children and four grandchildren would be taken care of in the future.

"They throw up so many roadblocks to you, it's unreal," said Brenda Burpee, Donald's widow.

Among the chemicals, trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), vinyl chloride and benzene are thought to be the most damaging to human health. Lejeune veterans have reported ailments including prostate and bladder cancer, as well as chronic kidney disease. Kidney cancer is not uncommon.

Burpee's family found the VA's denial baffling. Given the science supporting a connection between exposure to TCE and kidney cancer, what was the rationale for withholding disability?

A deeper problem at the VA

The doubts about the SME program reflect wider concern about how the VA has treated current and former military personnel who may have been sickened by environmental exposures, including residual Agent Orange on repurposed aircraft, burn pit smoke in the Middle East and plumes of radiation following the Fukushima disaster.

An aide to Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), who has been a vocal advocate for veterans exposed to toxicants, described the SME program as "part of a broader institutional resistance" within the VA regarding environmental exposures.

“Who can win in a game where your opponent is allowed to change the rules in the middle?"

VA’s SME Heaney never actually saw Burpee, but she reviewed his file. In her first review, in February 2014, Heaney said exposure to the contaminated water could not be linked to Burpee's cancer or other medical conditions. Referencing Heaney’s opinion, the VA decided not to grant Burpee disability benefits.

The report, which was commissioned by the U.S. Navy, seemed to absolve the military of responsibility by concluding that the scientific evidence available at the time wasn't sufficient to determine a link between exposures at Lejeune and adverse health effects.

But environmental health experts disagree. In fact, shortly after the report was published, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, expressed its disagreement with the NRC's methods and conclusions.

Moreover, agency director Pat Breysse said that for the purposes of the SME reviews, the NRC's report is so out of date that its "conclusions are no longer relevant."

Heaney also said that Burpee's obesity, hypertension and history of smoking were all more likely to have caused the kidney cancer than the water contamination. But according to Frank Bove, a senior epidemiologist at ATSDR, that claim also doesn't match the scientific consensus of recent years.

"TCE causes kidney cancer. Period," he said.

Bove explained that while TCE exposure alone might not be enough to cause cancer, it likely worked in concert with other risk factors such as genetics, smoking and obesity -- each of which are also unlikely to be the sole trigger. Any one factor, including the chemical exposure, could prove to be the final straw.

To examine, and digest the full story for VA’s hired SME Thugs---my opinion only--that assist with delay, deny, ignore any or all relevant scientific exposure evidence favorable to veterans until he or she dies. (Jumpmaster) click on the link.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/veterans-toxic-chemical-exposure_55b647a1e4b0a13f9d190d86

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[Vync]

Very accurate article title!

[TALON II FE]

good article