The VA Secretary, Robert Wilkie, disputes the science panel’s findings on presumptive diseases caused by Agent Orange saying ASEM did not identify any “definitive causal links” between Agent Orange and the diseases, and at least two — hypertension and bladder cancer — have other risk factors besides herbicide exposure, such as age, diet and tobacco use, that can contribute to their development.

Also, Wilkie said, members of the NASEM panel, in drawing their conclusions, relied heavily on studies of Army Chemical Corps members “with known high occupational exposure” that don’t necessarily reflect the experience of most U.S. troops in Vietnam.

Given the concerns and the cost, which according to VA could run between $11.2 billion and $15.2 billion, depending on interpretations of a court ruling, VA is waiting for the results of its own studies, expected later this year, to announce any decision, the report says.

According to the report, more than 190,000 veterans would be eligible for disability compensation in the first year if all four conditions were approved. VA estimated that the number would grow to 2.1 million after five years.

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said veterans aren’t getting “justice” and instead have been “subjected to unwarranted delays, and consistently denied access to the critical care and benefits.”

Meanwhile, the VA has stated that their analysis of the already completed report from the study they conducted themselves, will take until the end of 2020 to review.

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