AGENT ORANGE TOXICITY

Course overview

AGENT ORANGE IS THE COMMON NAME OF AN HERBICIDE DISPERSED IN VIETNAM, CAMBODIA, AND LAOS DURING US AIR FORCE OPERATION RANCH HAND BETWEEN 1961 AND 1971. AGENT ORANGE TOXICITY RESULTS FROM THE ACUTE EXPOSURE AND REMOTE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF ITS COMPONENTS 2,4,5-TRICHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID (2,4,5-T), 2,4-DICHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID (2,4-D), AND THE CONTAMINANT 2,3,7,8-TETRACHLORODIBENZO-P-DIOXIN (TCDD).THE PREVALENCE OF AGENT ORANGE TOXICITY IS LOW DUE TO THE LIMITED NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS EXPOSED TO THE HERBICIDE. THE TWO POPULATIONS PRIMARILY AFFECTED BY AGENT ORANGE INCLUDE UNITED STATES SERVICE MEMBERS WHO SERVED IN THE VIETNAM WAR, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION RANCH HAND, AND THE LOCAL POPULACE OF VIETNAM, CAMBODIA, AND LAOS EXPOSED TO THE HERBICIDES.AFTER THE HEALTH CONCERNS OF RETURNING VIETNAM VETERANS AND THEIR OFFSPRING GAINED NATIONAL ATTENTION, THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS PASSED THE AGENT ORANGE ACT OF 1991 TO INVESTIGATE THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF AGENT ORANGE EXPOSURE. NUMEROUS STUDIES HAVE SINCE BEEN PUBLISHED EXAMINING THESE AT-RISK POPULATIONS, INCLUDING THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND MEDICINE CONSENSUS STUDY REPORTS.THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE HEALTHCARE TEAM IN IDENTIFYING, PROVIDING CARE FOR, AND IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY EXPOSURE TO AGENT ORANGE.