Front Matter -- Reviewers -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Contents -- Tables, Figures, and Boxes -- Acronyms and Abbreviations -- General Summary -- Summary -- 1 Introduction -- 2 A Brief History of Presumptive Disability Decisions for Veterans -- 3 The Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process -- 4 Legislative Background on Presumptions -- 5 Case Studies Summary Chapter -- 6 Establishing an Evidence-Based Framework -- 7 Scientific Evidence for Causation in the Population -- 8 Synthesizing the Evidence for Causation -- 9 Applying Population-Based Results to Individuals: From Observational Studies to Personal Compensation -- 10 Health and Exposure Data Infrastructure to Improve the Scientific Basis of Presumptions -- 11 Governmental Classification and Secrecy -- 12 The Way Forward -- 13 Recommendations -- Appendixes -- Appendix A: Statement of the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission to the Institute of Medicine's Committee on the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process, May 31, 2006 -- Appendix B: Committee on Evaluation of the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process for Veterans Open Session Meeting Agendas -- Appendix C: Glossary -- Appendixes D-M (originally on enclosed CD) -- Title Page -- Appendix D: Historical Background -- Appendix E: Arguments Favoring and Opposing Presumptions -- Appendix F: Tables: Summary of Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Legislative History -- Appendix G: VA's White Paper on the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making Process -- Appendix H: IOM's Statements of Task and Conclusions for Agent Orange and Gulf War Reports -- Appendix I: Case Studies -- Appendix J: Causation and Statistical Causal Methods -- Appendix K: Sources of Health and Exposure Data for Veterans -- Appendix L: Additional Classification and Secrecy Information.

Appendix M: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members, Consultants, and Staff.