305 - How the Department of Veterans Affairs' Research on Military Toxic Exposures Is Advancing Veteran Care

As the one-year anniversary the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxins (PACT) Act of 2022 was recently celebrated; VA has continued working to address military environmental exposure health concerns. In this session, you will learn how VA has created innovative multidisciplinary teams that are advancing the science through ongoing research efforts to inform policies and improve patient care. VA's Surveillance Military Environmental Exposures (SMEE) and Exposure Science Program (ESP) are two examples. SMEE is responsible for conducting scientific reviews and analyses in response to emerging military environmental exposure issues impacting the Veteran population. These reviews provide data to support the presumptive decision-making process required by Section 202 of the PACT Act. ESP is performing research to better determine how military environmental exposures (e.g., jet fuels, contaminated water) may have or will affect certain populations. We will explore how this research enhances our understanding of military exposures and paves the way for more effective care and benefits for Veterans.