Agent Orange, dioxin

Agent Orange tied to aggressive prostate cancer risk

Posted on MAY 13, 2013 Written by THANHNIENNEWS LEAVE A COMMENT

Soldiers detect Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) and defoliant Agent Orange during the launch of the “environmental remediation of dioxin contamination” project, in Vietnam’s central Da Nang City

Men who were exposed to Agent Orange chemicals used during the Vietnam War are at higher risk for life-threatening prostate cancer than unexposed veterans, researchers have found.

What’s more, those who served where the herbicide was used were diagnosed with cancer about five years earlier than other men, on average, in the new study.

“This is a very, very strong predictor of lethal cancer,” said urologist Dr. Mark Garzotto, who worked on the study at the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Oregon.

“If you’re a person who’s otherwise healthy and you’ve been exposed to Agent Orange, that has important implications for whether you should be screened or not screened,” he told Reuters Health.

But one researcher not involved in the new study said it’s hard to take much away from it, given the imprecise way it measured exposure.

Agent Orange – named after the giant orange drums in which the chemicals were stored – was used by the U.S. military to destroy foliage, mainly in southern Vietnam. The herbicide was often contaminated with a type of dioxin, a potently carcinogenic chemical.

The Vietnam Red Cross Society has estimated that up to one million Vietnamese suffered disabilities or health problems as a result of Agent Orange, including children born with birth defects years after their parents were exposed.

Past research has also suggested that U.S. veterans who served where Agent Orange was used are at an increased risk of lymphoma and certain other cancers, including prostate cancer.

For the new study, researchers wanted to see whether exposure was more closely linked to slow-growing prostate cancers or aggressive tumors.

They analyzed medical records belonging to 2,720 veterans who were referred to the Portland VA for a prostate biopsy. About one in 13 of those men had been exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, according to their VA intake interviews.

One third of all men in the study were diagnosed with prostate cancer, about half of which were high-grade cancers – the more aggressive and fast-growing type.

When the researchers took men’s age, race, weight and family history of cancer into account, they found those with Agent Orange exposure were 52 percent more likely than unexposed men to have any form of prostate cancer.

Separating out different types of tumors showed the herbicide was not linked to an increased risk of slower-growing, low-grade cancer. But it was tied to a 75 percent higher risk of being diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer, the study team reported Monday in the journal Cancer.

“The increase in the rate of cancers was almost exclusively driven by the potentially lethal cancers,” said Garzotto, also from Oregon Health & Science University.

More research is needed to figure out exactly why that is, he said. In the meantime, Garzotto said veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange should discuss that with their doctors.

But Dr. Arnold Schecter, from the University of Texas School of Public Health’s Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Program in Dallas, said there’s a “big problem” with just asking veterans if they were exposed to Agent Orange or served in an area where it was sprayed.

“Of those most heavily exposed in the military as best we know, only a relatively small percentage of them had elevated dioxin from Agent Orange in their blood when tested by (the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention),” he toldReuters Health.

Schecter said that in Vietnam, people who have high levels of that type of dioxin in their blood live in places where the chemical has become integrated into the food supply – or were sprayed directly with Agent Orange.

Another researcher who has studied the effects of Agent Orange agreed that not having blood dioxin levels is a drawback, but said the findings are consistent with past research and general thinking about the chemical.

“Almost all studies have implicated that men with Agent Orange (exposure) either have higher-grade prostate cancer or a more aggressive clinical course,” said Dr. Gregory Merrick, head of Wheeling Hospital’s Schiffler Cancer Center in West Virginia, who also wasn’t involved in the new research.

But, he added, as long as men are getting into the VA system and getting regular evaluations and treatment for cancer, Agent Orange exposure “is not a death sentence by any means.”

Seminar discusses treatment of dioxin contamination in hot spots in Vietnam | Look At Vietnam - Vietnam news daily update

December 17, 2010 about Uncategorized

LookAtVietnam -
A seminar to warm
up a project for cleaning up hotspots of dioxin contamination in Vietnam was
held in Hanoi on December 15.

The event was co-organised by the Ministry of
Natural Resources and Environment in collaboration with the Global Environment
Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The project, which will be implemented from 2010
to 2014, aims to overcome wartime dioxin aftermaths, reduce the devastation of
dioxin on the environment and health risks for people living and working in
three main hot spots including Da Nang and Phu Cat airports in central Vietnam
and Bien Hoa airport in the southern province of Dong Nai.

Delegates focused on discussions on devising
plans to treat dioxin contamination and the funding for the project.

Especially,
they debated issues related to concentration of dioxin at the three hotspots.

Richard J.Cooke, an international consultant for
the Office of The National Steering Committee on overcoming toxic
chemicals used by US during the war in Vietnam (Office 33) said the project
should pay attention to the basic requirements of technologies for treating
dioxin to meet both international and Vietnam’s technical and environmental
safety standards.

“Priorities should also be given to technologies
which are likely to be implemented in Vietnam immediately through commercial
provisions as well as the practical application of these technologies for dioxin
contamination in Vietnam”, he said.

Delegates said there should be strict
co-ordination between Office 33 and relevant ministries and agencies, especially
the Ministry of Defence. They stated the steering committee should also pay more
attention to necessary funding sources for the full remediation of all dioxin
hot spots.

According to Office 33, US troops sprayed about
80 million litres of herbicides in southern Vietnam during the wartime from 1961
to 1971.

VietNamNet/VOV

Vietnam, US set up health task force on AO/dioxin - Vietnam, US set up health task force on AO/dioxin

Vietnam and the US have reached consensus on directions to address the consequences of Agent Orange/dioxin in the Southeast Asian country, including the establishment of a health task force.

The two nations came to the decision during the fourth annual meeting of the Vietnam-US Joint Advisory Council (JAC) on AO which ended in Hanoi on September 10 after three days of talks.

The establishment of the health task force, following the environmental task force set up at the third meeting, is seen as a step forward by the JAC, said Le Ke Son, co-chair of the JAC, at a press conference following the event.

The health task force comprises experts chosen from both Vietnam and the US, said Son, who is also Deputy General Director of the General Environment Department.

The group will first gather all information related to AO/dioxin and their adverse effects on humans generally and in Vietnam in particular to help the JAC make accurate assessments of this issue, especially in AO/dioxin-contaminated areas.

The health task force will also put forth measures to prevent exposure in AO-affected areas and provide better health care to people who have been exposed or have a high likelihood of exposure to AO, said Son.

Having praised the establishment of the task force, US Ambassador to Vietnam Michael Michalak reiterated the US’s commitment to continue cooperating with Vietnam in seeking solutions to decontaminate the environment and provide health assistance to tackle the damage caused by AO/dioxin.

The diplomat revealed that the US is assisting Vietnam to address AO/dioxin contamination at Da Nang airport-one of the country’s three hot spots-with funding sourced from the US commitment of US$6 million. VNA/VOVNew

More efforts needed to solve dioxin issues - More efforts needed to solve dioxin issues

Vietnam-US projects to deal with the effects of Agent Orange/dioxin on the environment and human health has not met expectations despite efforts from both sides, says a Vietnamese official.

The Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Nguyen Xuan Cuong, made the statement at the fourth annual session of the Vietnam-US Joint Advisory Committee (JAC) on Agent Orange/dioxin in Hanoi on September 8.

It’s time the two governments reached official agreement on a long-term and effective programme for this issue, insisted Mr Cuong.

He said Vietnam gives priority to cleaning up dioxin-contaminated hotspots to prevent further exposure and providing healthcare services to the victims. He asked the JAC to put forward specific proposals to realise these two tasks.

He recommended that a Vietnam-US working group on health care be established to draw up a roadmap and propose solutions to minimise the number of children born with deformities. He lauded the Vietnam-US working group on the environment for creating a roadmap and technical solutions to deal with hotpots at Da Nang Airport in central Vietnam.

However, he said, the amount of money that the US government has promised to help with the environmental cleanup at this airport has not been disbursed yet, hampering JAC activities.

Mr Cuong thanked non-government organisations such as the Ford Foundation, the Vietnam Veterans Assistance Fund, UN agencies and other organisations for showing their interest in projects to overcome the consequences of the toxic chemicals in Vietnam.

US Ambassador M. Michalak and US officials at the session. (Photo: Hanoimoi)

The US Ambassador to Vietnam, Michael Michalak, acknowledged the implementation of healthcare and environmental projects which were proposed at their meeting last year.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has signed three-year projects with a number of organisations including Save the Children US, East Meets West Foundation and Vietnam Assistance for the Handicapped to provide medical and rehabilitation services to handicapped people in Da Nang City, and to help them earn a livelihood.

The US has received bidding dossiers and will soon announce the winner of a project to assess the environmental impact and prepare to clean up dioxin-contaminated hotspots at Da Nang Airport. In June 2009, the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) carried out experiments at Da Nang Airport using bioremediation technology. The technology is expected to bring about highly-efficient, low-cost solutions.

During the three-day meeting, JAC delegates, scientists and representatives from non-governmental organisations will hear reports and propose solutions to the ongoing problems in Vietnam.

US doubles funds for Agent Orange cleanup

The United States government has doubled its funding for dealing with the environmental and health consequences of its wartime use in Vietnam of the toxic herbicide Agent Orange, the embassy said Friday.

President Barack Obama recently signed a bill increasing the funding from $3 million to $6 million, embassy officials said. Most of the money is being used in Danang, where U.S. troops used to mix and store Agent Orange at an Air Force base before loading it onto planes.

During the Vietnam war, which ended in 1975, the U.S. sprayed more than 20 million gallons (75 million liters) of Agent Orange and other herbicides across the country to strip Vietnamese guerrillas of ground cover and kill their crops.

Agent Orange contains dioxin, a highly toxic substance that remains in soil and sediment for years and poses a serious health threat to anyone who touches it.

Vietnam believes as many as 4 million people have suffered serious health problems from the herbicide, such as cancer, spina bifida and other birth defects. The U.S. says the actual number is probably far lower and that further scientific study is needed to understand the health impact. The U.S. and Vietnam only began working together in 2007 to address the consequences of Agent Orange after years of disagreement.

The embassy said in a statement that one third of the $6 million is being used for health programs to serve people in the Danang area. The rest will be used to remove dioxin from the soil and sediment near Danang airport.

The first $3 million in U.S. funds was allocated during the administration of George W. Bush. Some of that money was used to contain dioxin at the Danang site to prevent it getting into the water supply.

Friday's People's Army newspaper quoted Lai Minh Hien, a Vietnamese environmental official in charge of Agent Orange issues, as saying that Vietnam needs additional 1 trillion dong ($57 million) to clean up dioxin in Danang as well as at former U.S. air bases in Bien Hoa and Phu Cat.

Vietnam War victims continue to suffer decades after conflict

VIETNAM: Legal battles continue for three million people affected by the dioxin deployed by US military
THE PRESENCE of and lust for American brands on the throbbing streets of Hanoi suggest the wounds of the Vietnam War have healed. Middle-class Vietnamese drive Fords to suburban malls for Gap gear and a KFC burger.
However, the consequences of the bitter 1969-1975 conflict remain a live political issue. A group that features prominently in the press here, the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange (VAVAO), a state-sponsored organisation that represents three million Vietnamese suffering from contact with the dioxin, is facing a crunch decision in its long-running legal battle with US chemicals companies.
Having earlier this year lost their case against Agent Orange makers, including Dow and Monsanto, in the Brooklyn District Court and again at the US Court of Appeal, the group will file an appeal to the Supreme Court in September. The two firms supplied the dioxin to the US government, which has claimed sovereign immunity from prosecution for dropping millions of litres of Agent Orange - named for the orange labels on drums containing the liquid - to strip jungle sheltering Vietcong.
Activists admit that hopes are slim for a victory in the highest court in the USA, but they are playing a long game. "We may not win at the Supreme Court but we've won in the court of public opinion," says a Hanoi-based VAVAO campaigner who prefers not to be named.
He says that despite recent economic success, Vietnam can't afford to compensate local Agent Orange victims, beyond $50 million a year in state pensions for victims - "it's not enough," says the veteran. The constraints of Vietnam relative poverty means victims need the chemical companies' money. "Vietnam has so many things to solve after the war and Agent Orange is just one of them." The US-based Vietnam Agent Orange Relief Responsibility Campaign (VAORRC) believes the chemical companies should contribute to an overall US government settlement with victims, which would include a clean-up of "hot spots" - areas where the soil remains poisoned.
Several prominent US legislators are on the campaign's side - "they see it as an issue of morality," explains Merle Ratner, co-coordinator of VAORRC. But given the scale of any payout, progress is unlikely to be swift: the US Congress has already squabbled over how to assign $3 million in humanitarian aid marked for clean-up.
To keep the pressure on, a delegation of Vietnamese women will arrive in New York on September 29th for a 10-city speaking tour. Among them is a 21-year-old computer science student, Tràn Thi Hoàn. She says she will tell public and TV audiences how she was born without two legs and with an atrophied hand. One of the many children of those affected during the war, she's learned English in the 12 years she has spent in a residential Agent Orange treatment centre in Ho Chi Minh.
Vietnamese sufferers have vociferous allies in a core of US army veterans who also suffered from exposure to the dioxin. Bernie Duff, a Michigan-born army medic who suffers skin disorders from his exposure in 1969 and 1970, raises funds and awareness for Vietnamese children born with related defects. The 60-year-old Irish-American went back to Vietnam in 2006 to confront the nightmares which have haunted him since his service time. Seeing the needs of fellow Agent Orange victims, he stayed, and this year walked from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City to raise money for a school caring for affected children.
Many of the Vietnam War victims have succumbed to cancer with "horrible defects", which in third-generation sufferers includes mangled bodies and over-sized heads, explains Ratner. Parents who give up their jobs to care for the children invariably slide into poverty.
Duff's goal is to build a training hospital in central Vietnam, easily accessible and staffed with doctors and specialised equipment for treating the Agent Orange victims. Though he is steering clear of the court case - "simply so we can appeal to all sides for help" - Duff is one of the veterans who took a class action suit against the chemical companies in the 1980s which ended in a lump sum payment (but rejection of responsibility) by the chemical companies. Most of the money was eaten up by legal fees. US veterans, however, got respite in 1991 with the passage of the Agent Orange Act, which deemed that Agent Orange illnesses could be considered service-related and covered by veteran health care.
Any compensation for the Vietnamese victims better be "substantial," says Merle Ratner. As an indication of the needs she points to the $30,000 being spent annually to treat each US veteran affected by Agent Orange. If the Supreme Court goes against them, VAORRC is preparing a Michael Moore-style campaign to target the chemical companies' well-advertised image as responsible multinational corporations. This may have some effect in throbbing Asian cities like Hanoi, a promised land for western multinationals. Dow and Monsanto have both opened offices in Vietnam.
© 2008 The Irish Times

Agent Orange Work Progresses in Vietnam

More than three decades after the Vietnam War, the United States and Vietnam have just completed temporary steps to contain dioxin contamination at a former U.S. air base in Danang.
But the U.S. government, as well as U.S. foundations and corporations, should contribute more money to clean up the site permanently, members of a joint U.S.-Vietnamese working group on Agent Orange said Friday.

more-> The Associated Press: Agent Orange Work Progresses in Vietnam