Gulf War and Health
Gulf War and Health

Author: Institute of Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2006-12-22

Total Pages: 238

ISBN-13: 0309164524

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Infectious diseases have been a problem for military personnel throughout history. The consequences in previous conflicts have ranged from frequent illnesses disrupting daily activities and readiness to widespread deaths. Preventive measures, early diagnosis, and treatment greatly limit the exposures and acute illnesses of troops today in comparison with those in armies of the past, but infections and consequent acute illnesses still occur. Thousands of US veterans of the Persian Gulf War have reported an array of unexplained illnesses since the war ended in 1991. Many veterans have believed that the illnesses were associated with their military service in southwest Asia during the war. This volume of Gulf War and Health evaluates the scientific literature on chemical, biologic, and physical agents to which military personnel in the gulf were potentially exposed and possible long-term adverse health outcomes.

Toward Environmental Justice
Toward Environmental Justice

Author: Institute of Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1999-03-25

Total Pages: 152

ISBN-13: 0309064074

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Driven by community-based organizations and supported by a growing body of literature, the environmental justice movement contends that poor and minority populations are burdened with more than their share of toxic waste, pesticide runoff, and other hazardous byproducts of our modern economic life. Is environmental degradation worse in poor and minority communities? Do these communities suffer more adverse health effects as a result? The committee addresses these questions and explores how current fragmentation in health policy could be replaced with greater coordination among federal, state, and local parties. The book is highlighted with case studies from five locations where the committee traveled to hear citizen and researcher testimony. It offers detailed examinations in these areas: Identifying environmental hazards and assessing risk for populations of varying ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds, and the need for methodologies that uniquely suit the populations at risk. Identifying basic, clinical, and occupational research needs and meeting challenges to research on minorities. Expanding environmental education from an ecological focus to a public health focus for all levels of health professionals. Legal and ethical aspects of environmental health issues. The book makes recommendations to decision-makers in the areas of public health, research, and education of health professionals and outlines health policy considerations.

Gulf War and Health
Gulf War and Health

Author: Committee on Health Effects Associated with Exposures During the Gulf War

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2000-12-12

Total Pages: 426

ISBN-13: 0309171628

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The men and women who served in the Gulf War theater were potentially exposed to a wide range of biological and chemical agents. Gulf War and Health: Volume 1 assesses the scientific literature concerning the association between these agents and the adverse health effects currently experienced by a large number of veterans.

Human Biomonitoring for Environmental Chemicals
Human Biomonitoring for Environmental Chemicals

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2006-11-30

Total Pages: 317

ISBN-13: 0309102723

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Biomonitoring—a method for measuring amounts of toxic chemicals in human tissues—is a valuable tool for studying potentially harmful environmental chemicals. Biomonitoring data have been used to confirm exposures to chemicals and validate public health policies. For example, population biomonitoring data showing high blood lead concentrations resulted in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) regulatory reduction of lead in gasoline; biomonitoring data confirmed a resultant drop in blood lead concentrations. Despite recent advances, the science needed to understand the implications of the biomonitoring data for human health is still in its nascent stages. Use of the data also raises communication and ethical challenges. In response to a congressional request, EPA asked the National Research Council to address those challenges in an independent study. Human Biomonitoring for Environmental Chemicals provides a framework for improving the use of biomonitoring data including developing and using biomarkers (measures of exposure), research to improve the interpretation of data, ways to communicate findings to the public, and a review of ethical issues.

Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans
Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans

Author: Institute of Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2008-06-15

Total Pages: 813

ISBN-13: 030910730X

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The United States has long recognized and honored the service and sacrifices of its military and veterans. Veterans who have been injured by their service (whether their injury appears during service or afterwards) are owed appropriate health care and disability compensation. For some medical conditions that develop after military service, the scientific information needed to connect the health conditions to the circumstances of service may be incomplete. When information is incomplete, Congress or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may need to make a "presumption" of service connection so that a group of veterans can be appropriately compensated. The missing information may be about the specific exposures of the veterans, or there may be incomplete scientific evidence as to whether an exposure during service causes the health condition of concern. For example, when the exposures of military personnel in Vietnam to Agent Orange could not be clearly documented, a presumption was established that all those who set foot on Vietnam soil were exposed to Agent Orange. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committee was charged with reviewing and describing how presumptions have been made in the past and, if needed, to make recommendations for an improved scientific framework that could be used in the future for determining if a presumption should be made. The Committee was asked to consider and describe the processes of all participants in the current presumptive disability decision-making process for veterans. The Committee was not asked to offer an opinion about past presumptive decisions or to suggest specific future presumptions. The Committee heard from a range of groups that figure into this decision-making process, including past and present staffers from Congress, the VA, the IOM, veterans service organizations, and individual veterans. The Department of Defense (DoD) briefed the Committee about its current activities and plans to better track the exposures and health conditions of military personnel. The Committee further documented the current process by developing case studies around exposures and health conditions for which presumptions had been made. Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans explains recommendations made by the committee general methods by which scientists, as well as government and other organizations, evaluate scientific evidence in order to determine if a specific exposure causes a health condition.

Dermal Absorption Models in Toxicology and Pharmacology
Dermal Absorption Models in Toxicology and Pharmacology

Author: Jim E. Riviere

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2005-08-24

Total Pages: 392

ISBN-13: 9780203020821

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Many experimental methods and mathematical modeling approaches rooted in disciplines outside of toxicology can be effectively applied to estimating dermal absorption. Dermal Absorption Models in Toxicology and Pharmacology explores current approaches and techniques that can be used to quantify dermal absorption with endpoints useful in both toxicology and pharmacology. The book begins with a review of basic principles and the in vitro and in vivo experimental approaches available for assessing dermal absorption of drugs and chemicals. This is followed by coverage of mathematical or in silico models for quantitating percutaneous absorption and the applications of these techniques to the risk assessment process. The remainder of the book explores scenarios where the unique properties of the chemicals being studied or the matrix in which they are exposed must be considered and then wraps up with a comparative analysis of chemical permeability in human and animal skin. Many of the books covering this subject are just too comprehensive and serve primarily as reference works. This book takes a different approach. Jim Riviere's editorial guidance ensures that the information is readable, accessible, authoritative, and concise, making it the perfect resource for familiarizing new researchers and students to the field and updating established scientists.