Agent Orange came into play in the Vietnam War. The U.S. military personnel used Agent Orange to clear trees and vegetation known to hide the enemy. Agent Orange exposure has led to long-term health effects in many Vietnam-era veterans, including multiple myeloma, Parkinson’s disease and other types of cancer.
Agent Orange is a herbicide originating during the Vietnam War between North Vietnam, with the help of the South Vietnam, with the United States. Although the United States military knew the herbicide exposure could be harmful to enemy troops, it wasn’t aware that it could potentially harm each Vietnam War veteran that came in contact with it..
Short-term exposure to dioxin, a toxic chemical, and byproduct of Agent Orange can cause health problems like type 2 diabetes, hormone disruption and peripheral neuropathy. The herbicide is also connected to some congenital disabilities in children of Vietnam veterans, including spina bifida, heart defects, cleft palate and cleft lip.
Although there may be many other medical problems that stem from Agent Orange, here are the most common.
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Monument for all who died because of agent orange - Veteran`s Memorial Park, Ennis, Texas
File Photo
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2. Chronic B-Cell Leukemia that affects the body’s B-cells and causes B-cell Leukemia.
3. Chioracne that causes severe blemishes to the skin.
4. Diabetes Type 2
5. Hodgkin’s Disease also know as Hodgkin’s lymphoma
6. Ischemic Heart Disease Prevents the heart from receiving enough blood and oxygen usually due to narrowed arteries leading to the heart.
7. Multiple Myeloma
8. Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
9. Parkinson’s Disease
10. Prostate Cancer
11. Respiratory Cancer
12. Soft Tissue Sarcoma a soft tissue buildup of cancer cells in the body’s soft tissues.
The passing of the Agent Orange Act in 1991 expanded the VA healthcare benefits available to Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange if served between January 9, 1962 through May 7, 1975.