-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: PACT act, Cancer clusters, Dioxins, Gulf War vets, and tissue collection
Date: Tue, 27 Dec 2022 07:13:23 -0600
From: Kirt <kirt@gulflink.org>
To: Denis McDonough <>
CC: Garth Nicolson <>, Ed Bryan <>, James Baraniuk <>, Jim Binns <>, Jim Moss <>, Karen L. Block <>, Marsha Turner <>, RAC <VARACGWVI@va.gov>, Robert Haley <>, Aguilar, BettyJane <>, Ramoni, Rachel <>, Rumm, Peter D. <>, steve.hernandez@co.mclennan.tx.us


Dear Sec of VA

Ive been studying the letter of intent of the PACT act and its roll out this last few months.
Then married that up with my own experiences this last year having done every thing
you can imagine related to this with VA. Gulf war registry exam, WRIISC full exam, and
ABHOR registry exam. What are considered the Toxic exposure exam list loosely implied
at the PACT act roll outs. One thing never happened in any of this, tissue collection to
be given full spectrum analysis for content. All were standard labs at best.

I literally begged the WRIISC to do a adipose fatty tissue resection and they came back that
what I want is 10 years away. No its not, this is standard necropsy procedure. Thats my
problem with this. Its post mortum.

Its been stated the PACT act is doing tissue studies to verify possible environmental factors
like dioxins. Yet, Ive pushed the system to the edge and at no point does there appear to be
any tissue collection of this kind - much less the 30,000 ABHOR exams that are only 10 minute
visual inspections with chest x-ray and PFT. I saw no evidence the ABHOR program for 8 years
has done any tissue collection what so ever. There fore, vague symptoms that cant be proved.

If cancer clusters exist in Gulf war veterans, I can tell you from my own experience over decades
that VA isnt looking to them as primary cause of death. Very seldom does a autopsy attribute
the final cause of death to a originator - but to the end result. Cardiac or respiratory arrest more
likely. Cancers would be often listed as secondaries. Word play bias even with brain tumors.
I know this from my dealings with the AFIP long ago among others when it came to tissue
sample collection. Its been long forgotten how I am one of the originators of the VA tissue
repositories from 2005 on. The 2006 presentation of the Anil Prasad project, and the following
VABBB in Boston. But, look back over your RAC transcripts. What happened with Wade George.

Now I find the new RAC chairman is a cancer specialist from Texas. Not leading neurologist like
in the past. The buzz word in her bio is cancers. At this point I think VA knows there is a cancer
cluster among gulf war vets it wants to play down. That the new chairman is looking for people
that speak about it to placate them like committee has other issues. This implies a change of
direction with no public discussion of motivations.

So far 810 Vermont street does not respond to my emails directly. In fact, it seems they go out
of there way to attack anyone in VA Ive spoken to and shake them up instead. There seems to
be a real back handed way of dealing with me rather than directly. Yet, so far I think I have been
reasonable with you - nothing vulgar or ugly that vets often use. No cuss words.

Where is this tissue collection for true full spectrum chemical analysis to verify toxic exposures?
Ive even begged to do it and been turned down all year long. How is VA going to prove any
exposures if it doesnt test for them. As Im 100% certain ABHOR has not done for 8 years.

Where is the science in all this being implied?

Thank you for your time and patience.

                                                                                                      
Sincerely

                                                                                                        Kirt P. Love
                                                                                                        Director, DSBR
                                                                                                            Former member VA ACGWV
                                                                                                            https://www.va.gov/gulfwaradvisorycommittee/
                                                                                                            http://gulflink.org
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