NEW DECISION ON HEPATITIS C

[Guest guest]

Clear DayFYI... from gulflink

NEW DECISION ON HEPATITIS C

Wednesday, September 24, 2003

By Mike

YREKA - My office just received some really good news for veterans suffering

with Hepatitis C. The newly created specialty rating team in Cleveland, Ohio

known as the " Tiger Team " awarded a Vietnam veteran a service connected

disability for Hepatitis C. The decision, which just came out in August of this

year, was as a result of the " Jet Injectors " used for inoculations of most

service members during the Vietnam Era and after.

As I have written about in previous columns, Vietnam Era veterans have been the

fastest growing number of Hepatitis C patients. The biggest mystery has always

been why. Many of these veterans belong to no " high risk " group such as

homosexuals or IV drug users, and many did not even serve overseas. The only

risk group they belong to is being in the military during this era. It appears

that a link has finally been established as to the reasons for this.

A research project headed by Lawrence Deyton, MSPH, MD, the Director of

Aids/Hepatitis at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington

D.C. said in part, " Anyone who had inoculations with the jet injector is at risk

of having Hepatitis C and should be tested. " Research indicates that the

Hepatitis C virus still exists on medical instruments after cleaning with many

solutions. I don't believe that this statement could be any clearer.

The jet injector system has long been suspected of transmitting blood borne

pathogens. In veterans groups, many believe that the VA purposely denied

veterans Hepatitis C claims for being infected with this virus, to hold

treatment costs down and give the VA the ability to deny the claim. There were

ridiculous studies released indicating the veterans themselves were at fault due

to misconduct in, or after military service, that justified the denials.

I remember, not too long ago, the Agent Orange issue was a similar denial by the

government and so was the " Gulf War Syndrome. " There were similar ridiculous

studies released indicating that there was no proof that Agent Orange made

anyone ill. Now we all know better. The government went so far as to state that

the " Gulf War Syndrome " was a psychosomatic disorder and did not really exist.

Now we know better. And now finally we see the truth regarding Hepatitis C. It

would appear that the Emperor has no clothes.

The biggest problem to overcome in this issue is getting the word out to these

veterans. Most of us who served during this era can remember the long

inoculation lines and blood running freely down many of our arms during these

inoculations with the jet injectors. Another problem is that the incubation

period for Hepatitis C can be decades long and symptoms may be nonexistent up

until the time that the veteran becomes very ill. I am asking that anyone who

reads this column, please, spread the word and get tested. You can be tested at

any VA facility. If you don't know how to access the VA, call our office in

Yreka and we will help you. This is extremely important. Your life and the lives

of your loved ones may depend on it.