Politics & Government

LI Reps: We Need To Study Cancer-Causing Parasite In Vietnam Vets

The ingestion of liver fluke during the Vietnam War could be associated with diseases like liver cancer, and allow for VA benefits.

Three LI politicians introduced a bill for liver cancer in Vietnam veterans and parasite ingestion during the war to be studied.
Three LI politicians introduced a bill for liver cancer in Vietnam veterans and parasite ingestion during the war to be studied. (Jenna Fisher/Patch)

LONG ISLAND, NY — Three representatives from Long Island, Rep. Garbarino, Rep. Suozzi and Rep. Zeldin, are heading a congressional act to study liver fluke, and determine if Vietnam veterans who ingested the parasite are developing cancer later in life. The Vietnam Veterans Luver Fluke Cancer Study Act would mandate the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Center of Disease Control to investigate the association. The extension of service-related benefits for those veterans needs to cover the suspected later conditions, including liver disease and bile duct cancer, a news release from Garbarino's office stated.

“Too many Vietnam Veterans living on Long Island were exposed to liver fluke during their service abroad and it continues to cause anxiety among them today,” Suozzi said.

“To what extent how many veterans have been exposed to liver fluke must be studied so we're better equipped to combat the diseases caused by this parasite. A study is a step towards finding firm answers to alleviate the anxiety our veterans are living with.”

Find out what's happening in East Islipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The lawmakers introduced the measure on Thursday.

“After putting their lives on the line to defend our freedom, we owe it to our men and women in uniform to provide them with the proper support and access to the very best healthcare,” Garbarino said in the statement.

Find out what's happening in East Islipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The service members could have ingested the parasite from eating freshwater fish, and harbored it for decades. A 2018 study done at the Northport VA found one in four veterans in the study tested for the parasite. The VA has rejected the majority of claims connecting liver cancer to the liver fluke, partly out of what the department said in 2017 was a lack of sufficient evidence.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here