Agent Orange and Diabetes
Posted April 18, 2000
During the Vietnam War, the U.S. military used a herbicide known as "Agent Orange" to destroy vegetation and foliage. The Viet Cong and North Vietnamese, who fought
against the Americans in the war, used the dense vegetation and ground cover to conceal themselves, weapons, and traps. Agent Orange broke down this cover and helped prevent the Americans
from being ambushed.
During a portion of the Vietnam War (from 1962 through 1971), the Air Force sprayed about 11 million gallons of Agent Orange in Vietnam. Later, Agent Orange was also
used to destroy the food crops of the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese. However, thousands of U.S. ground troops were also exposed to the chemical, which contains cancer-causing dioxins.
After the war, some veterans exposed to Agent Orange started reporting health problems, including cancer and diabetes. In 1982, the Air Force began a study of Vietnam
veterans to evaluate the long-term effects of Agent Orange exposure. A preliminary report of the study was released in March 2000. The result: There is evidence supporting a link between
exposure to Agent Orange and the onset of adult diabetes. Statistics show a 47 percent increase in diabetes in veterans exposed to Agent Orange compared to those with no exposure.
The Air Force studied the health of 1000 military personnel who were in close proximity to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. These personnel included "Operation
Ranch Hand" veterans, who were in charge of loading and spraying Agent Orange from planes. As a control group, they used a group of about 1300 veterans who were not exposed to the
chemical.
Originally, the Air Force planned to release the raw data of the ongoing study, which is scheduled to be completed in 2006. However, the General Accounting Office
(GAO), which is the investigative arm of the U.S. Congress wants the Air Force to make the findings more accessible to the public.
The Air Force put the data on tape, which can be difficult or expensive for individuals to acquire. In January 2000, the Air Force agreed to make the Agent Orange
study data available on the Internet and on CD.
Access to such data will help doctors and researchers further study the affects of dioxin on the human system.
Activity
Use the Internet sites provided here to learn more about Agent Orange and its effects on humans. Write an entry in your science journal describing the possible
link between the chemical and diabetes. Then propose a conclusion on how to deal with the problem.
References
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