Presumptive Service Connection for Rare Respiratory Cancers Due to Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter

This rulemaking adopts as final, without changes, an interim final rule amending the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) adjudication regulations to establish presumptive service connection for nine rare respiratory cancers in association with presumed exposure to fine particulate matter. These presumptions apply to Veterans with a qualifying period of service, i.e., who served on active military, naval, or air service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War (hereinafter Gulf War), from August 2, 1990, onward, as well as in Afghanistan, Syria, Djibouti, or Uzbekistan, on or after September 19, 2001, during the Gulf War. This rulemaking implements a decision by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs that determined there is sufficient evidence to support these cancers as presumptive based on exposure to fine particulate matter during service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations, Afghanistan, Syria, Djibouti, or Uzbekistan during certain periods and the subsequent development of the following rare respiratory cancers: squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the larynx, SCC of the trachea, adenocarcinoma of the trachea, salivary gland-type tumors of the trachea, adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung, large cell carcinoma of the lung, salivary gland-type tumors of the lung, sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung, and typical and atypical carcinoid of the lung. The intended effect of this rulemaking is to ease the evidentiary burden of this population of Veterans who file claims with VA for these nine rare respiratory cancers.