VA to research link between PFAS chemicals and kidney cancer

Veterans Affairs officials will research the link between kidney cancer and exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, at military bases, a move that could eventually provide presumptive benefits to thousands of veterans suffering from the illness.

If a link is established, the move would mark the first time the department provided fast-track benefits for any condition related to PFAS exposure.

The chemicals — used in a host of products like water-repellent clothing and firefighting foams — have been used widely on military bases for the last 50 years and are suspected to be the cause of a host of medical complications, including testicular cancer and thyroid disease.

In a statement released Wednesday, department officials said the move is part of a broader review of suspected military toxic exposure injuries which started with the passage of the PACT Act in August 2022.

“We want to understand the health conditions that veterans are living with so we can provide them with all of the benefits they deserve, and that’s what this review process is all about,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said.

“As a result of this scientific review, we may be able to make kidney cancer a presumptive condition for Veterans exposed to PFAS, thus lowering the burden of proof on these veterans.”

Presumptive status allows veterans applying for benefits to skip paperwork establishing their condition as a result of military service. That can cut months or years of wait times off the benefits process.

Department officials have already established presumptive benefit status for kidney cancer in cases where veterans served around burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan, or if they were stationed at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune between the 1950s and 1980s.

But no such connection has been formally recognized with PFAS chemical exposure in the military. Individual veterans can petition VA adjudicators to consider their illnesses and their personal exposure to the toxins, but blanket coverage for all veterans is not yet in place.

Department officials did not say how long the review will take. VA staff will host a public listening session on the issue on Nov. 19, and will solicit veterans’ comments on the issue through the Federal Register.

McDonough in his statement said veterans “should not wait for the outcome of this review to apply for the benefits and care they deserve,” and urged individuals to reach out with disability claims as soon as possible.

More information on applying for disability benefits is available through the VA website here.