Lack of Money Threatens Research Trove

[Demeter]

Source: NYTimes

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Thousands of small white boxes containing samples of blood, serum and urine are all that remain of a 25-year, $143 million program to find out if the herbicide Agent Orange made Vietnam War veterans sick.

But while the Agent Orange study is over, government researchers say that collection of 86,000 biological samples and medical records is far too valuable to just be thrown away. They say it might be just the beginning of what could be learned from the Air Force's vast collection of biological samples and medical records.

Few other studies have followed such a large group of people over a such an extended period of time.

However, while Congress has ordered the Agent Orange records saved, it hasn't yet appropriated any new money to pay for storing and protecting the samples, which must be kept at ultra-low temperatures, and the vast paper records. Current funding runs out Sept. 30....In all, nearly 2,800 men gave detailed information and biological samples for the study over 20 years. Full medical exams -- including collection of blood, urine and semen samples -- were conducted five times during the study, and most participants stuck with the study even though it required them and their families to give detailed information about their habits and medical conditions.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Agent-Orange.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

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Agent Orange illness Research--it would be criminal to not save this!