Oral

This session will cover various aspects of the Vietnam war and the Iraqi wars. A historical perspective comparing these wars will be presented. Current Agent Orange litigation with Vietnamese plaintiffs and manufacturers of Agent Orange as defendants will be described and an update given. A summary of the health effects of dioxins and dioxin like chemicals will be presented. Current US government involvement with the Vietnamese government regarding Agent Orange activities will be presented. Representatives of the Institute of Medicine will present the current and possible future status of the “Ranch Hand” study. A team of US and Vietnamese researchers will present an overview of US-Vietnamese Agent Orange research findings from 1968-2007. Last, a Vietnam veteran will describe problems US veterans of various wars face upon return to the US and describe possible solutions.

Session Objectives: At the conclusion of the session the participants (learners) will be able to: Describe similarities between the Vietnam and Iraqi wars. Understand health effects of dioxins Understand legal issues involved in the spraying of Agent Orange. Know the major findings of US-Vietnamese scientific research on Agent Orange

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing