Unreported World

Vietnam's Toxic Legacy (2016x12)

Air date: Oct 28, 2016

Reporter Ade Adepitan and director Vicki Cooper investigate the legacy of Agent Orange, the toxic herbicide dropped by US Forces during the Vietnam War. Some Vietnamese doctors believe Agent Orange is causing life-threatening health problems in a new generation of children. Dr Phuong campaigns tirelessly to demonstrate the connection between Agent Orange and children born with deformities. The Agent Orange used during the war contained dangerous concentrations of a chemical called dioxin, which Dr Phuong and many scientists believe can lead to genetic mutations. Dr Phuong tells Adepitan that her research showed that birth defects in Agent Orange sprayed areas were three or more times higher than other places. Doctors are also worried about the fact that there are still areas heavily contaminated with dioxin.