my 105th ltte-on the lack of reporting cancer rates in the VA

[w8liftinglady]

http://thedailylight.com/articles/2007/09/21/dailylight/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/letter1.txt
To the Editor,

There is a disturbing trend becoming evident at the Veteran’s Administration. The administration, which up until a few years ago had been freely sharing information with researchers, has ceased releasing data on its cancer patients in 13 key states. This results in between 40,000 and 70,000 cases going unreported. For example, in 2004, there were 3,000 cases of new-onset cancer reported by the state of California, whereas in 2005, there were ZERO. The VA has also initiated new data transmission policies that make it almost impossible to comply with the transfer of information.

Coincidentally, this timing coincides with the certain Iraq War Landmarks. Multiple studies have been done on the correlation of depleted uranium and lung cancer in veterans. It takes, on average, 2-5 years to begin to show the effects of exposure to depleted uranium, one of which is an aggressive lung cancer. There has also been a dramatic increase in oral cancer in soldiers 19, 20, and 21-years of age with no prior risks, save DU exposure. Of course, cancer is not solely an Iraq War veteran problem. Gulf War 1 veterans have also had a huge incidence of cancers and related disorders due to DU exposure.

Depleted uranium may remain active in the soil for 4.5 million years. The dust is inhaled by our troops every day. It is a huge disservice to our troops to underreport these diseases. It prevents the research and funding needed to obtain the proper care for these brave men and women who gave all for us. It is also a smokescreen, preventing Americans from seeing the true cost of this war. This is yet another case of failure by those who have sworn to support our veterans. Do you support our troops when they come home? Write our Senators, Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn, and our Congressman, Joe Barton, and demand they work to reinstate these reporting policies.

[JeffR]

1. K & R

Brava.