SUBMITTED BY:

A.J. WELCH

Birth Defect Research for Children

The Federal Government in Australia has extended health care support for Vietnam veterans' children suffering adrenal gland cancer and acute myeloid leukaemia, following further research into the findings of the Vietnam Veterans' Health Study, the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Bruce Scott, announced today. 

Mr Scott released a report by the Australian Institute of Health Welfare (AIHW), which indicated the incidence of adrenal gland cancer and acute myeloid leukaemia is higher among the children of Vietnam veterans, compared to the wider community. 

"The institute identified 10 cases of Vietnam veterans' children who suffer adrenal gland cancer, which was considered to be a high number for what is a relatively rare disease" he said. 

"The incidence of acute myeloid leukaemia has also been found to be higher than expected, with 13 cases identified among children of Vietnam veterans. 

"In light of these findings, the Government has decided to make extra provision for the care of children with these conditions, who were conceived following their parent's service in Vietnam." 

Support available to these children and their families will include: 

a. the difference between the Medicare rebate and the fee charged for medical services; b. the difference between the concessional and general co-payment for medicine under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme; c. the difference between private health insurance rebates and fees charged for private patient treatment in public hospitals; and d. medical aids, including special beds and mattresses. 

"The program also will assist with travel and accommodation costs for treatment or palliative care," Mr Scott said. 

The support will be provided through the new Vietnam Veterans' Children Support Program, administered by the Health Insurance Commission. Application forms for the Vietnam Veterans' Children Support Program are available by calling the Department of Veterans' Affairs on 1800 550 504. 

Mr Scott said the AIHW was asked to conduct supplementary research after the health study's advisory committee requested a breakdown of the types of cancer reported as 'other cancers' in the institute's validation study. 

This included further investigation of the incidence of adrenal gland cancer and a study of the four sub-types of leukaemia and their incidence in Vietnam veterans and their children. The study was not required to investigate the possible causes of these conditions in Vietnam veterans and their families. 

"While the incidence of acute myeloid leukaemia is higher than the community standard, the institute has found that the rate of acute lymphatic leukaemia, chronic lymphatic leukaemia and chronic myeloid leukaemia is similar to that found in the general community," Mr Scott said. 

"The institute also discovered that some cancers reported in the validation study were actually cases of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. As a result, the incidence of this condition in Vietnam veterans is now higher than that found in the community. 

"Treatment and compensation for this condition is already available to veterans under the repatriation system." 

The Minister said the supplementary research had resulted in benefits for the study of health in the Australian population, by providing new information on rates of leukaemia. 

"Previously, there have been no community standards for the individual sub-types of leukaemia in Australia. These were produced for the first time by the AIHW in order to conduct this study," he said. 

"This will be useful information for Australian cancer research and I would like to thank the AIHW and the Vietnam Veterans' Health Study Advisory Committee for their work in producing this report."  

Media Contact: Mark Croxford 02 6277 7820 or 0408 645 787 

Editors Note: We all hope that this action taken by the Australian government will prompt the U.S. Congress to grant similar compensation in the U.S.