212414 National Academy of Sciences' Agent Orange research efforts

Monday, November 9, 2009: 5:10 PM

David A. Butler, PhD , Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC
     
The US Congress has charged the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine (IOM) with several research tasks related to the evaluation of the impact of the herbicides used during the Vietnam War. Two of these efforts are currently active: a review of the available scientific evidence regarding the association between exposure to the herbicides used in Vietnam or dioxin and various adverse health outcomes; and the management of the medical records, other data, and biospecimens collected in the course of an epidemiologic study of US Air Force personnel who were responsible for conducting aerial herbicide spray missions during the War (the Air Force Health Study, as known as the Ranch Hand study). This presentation will elucidate the status of the IOM's "Agent Orange" work, reporting the results of the latest review of health effects (Veterans and Agent Orange: Update 2008) and discussing efforts to make the Ranch Hand research assets available to the scientific community.

Learning Objectives:
Describe the nature of the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine's

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to be a presenter on the content that I am responsible for because I have directed and continue to direct National Academy of Sciences studies related to the health effects of exposure to “Agent Orange” and other herbicides disseminated during the Vietnam War.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Health Issues in Vietnam, Laos, Cambonia in immigrants from these countries
See more of: Vietnam Caucus