Harvard Med School Professor Offers Support to C-123 Veterans

Properly confining support to his own area of medical expertise, Dr. David Steensma of Harvard Medical School has reviewed the C-123 Agent Orange exposure issue, and comments:

"I am sensitive to this issue of appropriate expertise in part because one of the frustrations that my patients who are veterans have faced is that their BVA case reviewer is someone who doesn’t truly understand their disorder, such as a lung specialist or an endocrinologist commenting on MDS (or, in the situation you describe, a fish toxicologist reviewing the literature on human exposure to AO).  However if any of the C123 workers develops MDS or AML, I would be glad to write a supporting letter on their behalf."

Thank you, Dr. Steensma. Too often given the complexities of dioxin and the controversal nature of the VA's uninformed handling of veterans' claims, physicians are hesitant to lend their  assistance. So, if indeed you are a C-123 veteran facing a diagnosis  of acute myelodysplastic syndromes or of acute myelogenous leukemia, Dr. Steensma's letter of support can be vital!