Notice2026-02619
Notice of Plans To Assess the Current Scientific Literature and Historical Detailed Claims Data Regarding Neurodegenerative Outcomes and Selected Military Environmental Exposures; Annual Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise To Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act Public Listening Session and Request for Comments
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 10, 2026
Issuing agencies
Veterans Affairs Department
Abstract
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announces its plan to conduct an assessment of the scientific literature and historical claims data regarding the association between military environmental exposure and neurogenerative outcomes. Pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 1172, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announces its plan to designate a technical working group (TWG) to conduct an assessment and development recommendations to VA leadership for formal assessment, pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 1172(d), of the findings from National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) review of certain neurodegenerative diseases and military environmental exposures once complete. Additionally, VA is soliciting public comments on the importance of completing this assessment of scientific literature and historical claims data for neurodegenerative diseases and will also hold the annual PACT Act public listening session.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 27 (Tuesday, February 10, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 10, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5992-5994]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-02619]
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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
[Docket No. VA-2026-VACO-0001]
Notice of Plans To Assess the Current Scientific Literature and
Historical Detailed Claims Data Regarding Neurodegenerative Outcomes
and Selected Military Environmental Exposures; Annual Sergeant First
Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise To Address Comprehensive
Toxics (PACT) Act Public Listening Session and Request for Comments
AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.
ACTION: Notice of public comment and listening session.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announces its plan to
conduct an assessment of the scientific literature and historical
claims data regarding the association between military environmental
exposure and neurogenerative outcomes. Pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 1172, the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announces its plan to designate a
technical working group (TWG) to conduct an assessment and development
recommendations to VA leadership for formal assessment,
[[Page 5993]]
pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 1172(d), of the findings from National Academies
of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) review of certain
neurodegenerative diseases and military environmental exposures once
complete. Additionally, VA is soliciting public comments on the
importance of completing this assessment of scientific literature and
historical claims data for neurodegenerative diseases and will also
hold the annual PACT Act public listening session.
DATES:
Public Comments: Comments must be received by April 13, 2026.
Information Session: VA will hold a public listening session
virtually via Webex on Thursday, May 14, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00
p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). The session will focus on the plans
detailed in this Federal Register notice. Registration is required and
further information can be found in the Supplementary Information
below.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments through <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> under
docket VA-2026-VACO-0001. Instructions for accessing agency documents,
submitting comments, and viewing the docket, are available on
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> under ``FAQ.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Erin Dursa, Veterans Health
Administration, (202) 461-7297.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 1172, as
created by section 202 of the PACT Act of 2022, VA is publishing this
notice to inform the public of its plan to assess the findings of
NASEM's review of scientific evidence on potential associations between
military environmental exposures and neurodegenerative diseases.
Neurodegenerative diseases were selected based on continuous monitoring
of exposure information from scientific literature, review of media
reports, input from veterans, and communications from Congress, in
addition to the serious nature of neurodegenerative diseases.
Additionally, there is evidence to suggest that certain exposures that
are common in the military setting have neurotoxic effects.
Consistent with 38 U.S.C. 1171 through 1176, VA may use NASEM
reports or similar scientific literature to conduct scientific
assessments and formal evaluations of illnesses and toxic exposures and
make determinations regarding presumptions of service connection.
NASEM's review is being performed in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 1176,
which requires the VA to enter into a 5-year agreement with NASEM to
conduct investigations on military exposures and health outcomes. A
committee established by NASEM will conduct a review of scientific and
medical evidence regarding possible associations between exposures to
certain hazards during military service and neurodegenerative diseases.
Upon completion of the NASEM review, VA will evaluate the findings to
determine whether initiation of a formal evaluation conducted under 38
U.S.C. 1173 is warranted. Any future formal evaluation(s) would result
in a recommendation to the Secretary as to whether to establish new
presumptions of service connection for purposes of claims for veterans'
benefits based on qualifying periods of service related to exposures.
VA entered the contract with NASEM for this study in 2025, and VA
will receive quarterly status updates. The NASEM committee will focus
on several neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease,
Alzheimer's disease, motor neuron diseases such as primary lateral
sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, peripheral neuropathy, transverse
myelitis, neuromyelitis optica, and inclusion body myositis. The
committee will investigate whether those neurodegenerative diseases may
result from various exposures to hazards during military service, such
as pesticides, jet fuels, solvents, heavy metals, per- and
polyfluoroalkyl substances, and fine particulate matter.
VA invites input on the NASEM study and any subsequent VA
evaluation of that work through public comments or the virtual
listening session. During this listening session, VA subject matter
experts will listen to public feedback and may ask questions but will
not be able to share proposals for specific conditions nor address the
merits of any comment provided.
VA also invites input regarding other health outcomes or exposures
that would benefit from review for potential association.
VA continues to review and assess information about military
environmental exposure incidents, emerging scientific evidence
regarding toxic substances, and health outcomes in deployed and non-
deployed veteran cohorts. Additionally, active epidemiological
surveillance and ongoing monitoring of military exposures in
collaboration with the Department of Defense are underway. If those
assessments identify a possible association between military
environmental exposure and an adverse health outcome, this may lead to
additional research or be subject to a Federal Register notice and
comment process, as required by 38 U.S.C. 1172. VA will publish other
notices of this type as it reviews other potential adverse health
conditions and their possible association with military environmental
exposures to provide health care, services, and benefits to veterans.
After reviewing comments received in response to this notice and
during the public listening session, VA will publish a response to
public comments in the Federal Register in accordance with 38 U.S.C.
1172(a)(2)(B). Following publication of NASEM's findings, VA will
assess those findings and determine appropriate next steps, which may
include developing a recommendation for formal evaluation under 38
U.S.C. 1173, pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 1172(d). If a formal evaluation is
commenced, a recommendation with respect to establishing a presumption
of service connection must be submitted to the Secretary within 120
days, in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 1173(d). Within 160 days of
receiving the recommendation with respect to establishing a presumption
of service connection, the Secretary must determine whether a
presumption is warranted in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 1174(a). This may
include initiating rulemaking to establish new presumptions for some,
or all the conditions formally evaluated and/or publishing notice in
the Federal Register of any determination that a presumption or
presumptions are unwarranted for some or all the conditions that were
the subject of the evaluation.
Listening Session
While VA will accept public comments through <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>,
the listening session aims to allow individuals to share their
research, input, and comments on certain adverse health conditions
associated with military environmental exposures. Participants can also
share their recommendations on other conditions that would benefit from
review.
Virtual Listening Session on May 14, 2026: Notice of Plans for the
Department of Veterans Affairs to Review Evidence from Future NASEM
Findings on Neurodegenerative Diseases and Certain Military Service
Exposures. Note: This listening session will have closed captioning
available via the WebEx platform. The webinar will be recorded and
transcribed.
Registration Link: <a href="https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVAVEO/signup/48851">https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVAVEO/signup/48851</a>.
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Registration Information: Individuals interested in attending the
listening session must register with Webex. During registration, VA
will ask attendees if they want to provide verbal or written feedback,
so VA can coordinate enough time for verbal comments. However, verbal
participation is not required to complete registration. If you wish to
provide verbal or written feedback during the listening session, please
register by April 30, 2026, at Noon EST. Individuals who indicate
interest in commenting will receive a confirmation message two business
days before the session. Individuals who wish to submit materials to VA
must do so by April 30, 2026 at Noon EST.
VA will work to accommodate all individuals who wish to comment
verbally. However, VA will prioritize those who registered in advance.
The time allotted for individuals to comment verbally will depend on
the number of registrations. VA will turn off cameras and mute
microphones until the presenter's scheduled time to accommodate as many
comments as possible. VA will request written submissions if there is
not enough time to hear all verbal comments.
Note: During the listening session, VA will not share proposals
or address feedback. VA will use suggestions made during the
listening session and public comments on VA's plan to improve future
evaluations. VA will continue to comply with the requirements of 38
U.S.C. 1172(a) and ensure appropriate public notice and opportunity
for participation.
Special Accommodations: Attendees requiring special accommodations
should make their requests to VA by contacting the point of contact
identified in this notice no later than April 24, 2026, at Noon EST.
Signing Authority
Douglas A. Collins, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, approved this
document on December 10, 2025, and authorized the undersigned to sign
and submit the document to the Office of the Federal Register for
publication electronically as an official document of the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
Jennifer Williams,
Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Veterans
Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2026-02619 Filed 2-9-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8301-01-P
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