Veterans' Risk for Deadly Disease

December 9, 2008

Many veterans return from war with emotional and psychological problems, but there's another risk, a devastating disease that kills in a couple of years. Now researchers are trying to figure out what exactly causes it and how to cure it once and for all.

ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. It attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The speech is affected by the disease, and many patients lose their ability to walk and move.

Dr. Lucie Bruijn says there could be many causes of ALS in veterans. Soldiers are often exposed to polluted air, chemical agents, radioactive waste and high-powered vaccines. the lifespan of someone diagnosed with ALS is about two to five years. There's jus tone drug approved to treat the disease, but it only extends life by about 8 to 12 weeks and costs about $1,000 a month.


In September, the Veterans Administration recognized ALS as a service-connected disease. That means vets with the condition will now have access to benefits.

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