Update to PACT Act Presumptive Cancers
On June 17 the Department of Veterans Affairs released a policy update on the Federal Register providing sub-regulatory guidance for processing claims under the Seargent First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (PACT Act).
New PACT Act Cancers
The following cancers will be added to the types of reproductive cancers covered under section 406 of the PACT Act:
Male Breast Cancer
Urethral Cancer
Cancer of the Paraurethral Glands
Herbicide Exposure
Notably, breast cancer will now be considered a disease with no association with herbicide exposure, including it on the list of conditions not warranting a medical examination and opinion when the only toxic exposure risk was herbicide exposure. Renal cancer (kidney and renal pelvis) will now be considered and will be removed from the list of conditions not warranting a medical examination and opinion when the only toxic exposure risk was herbicide exposure.
The revised policy “allows VA to better operationalize the PACT Act and deliver earned benefits to Veterans and their dependents as quickly as possible while simultaneously continuing efforts to promulgate the implementing regulations.”