When a Medication Causes a New Condition
A drug taken for a service-connected condition can cause a second problem of its own. Years of anti-inflammatories for a bad back can damage the stomach; steroids for asthma can thin the bones. The Board has decided thousands of these claims. This page reports what it granted: first the drug classes the record has a pattern for, then the far larger set of claims that blamed "my medication" without naming one.
Read this first
A grant below means that in one veteran's case, on that veteran's evidence, the Board connected a condition to a medication. It does not mean the drug causes that condition, and it is not a reason to stop taking anything. No percentages appear on this page: at these sample sizes a rate would be noise wearing a number.
Two different claims live here. Most are ordinary secondary service connection: a drug prescribed for an already service-connected condition caused a new one. A smaller set are 38 USC 1151 claims, where VA itself prescribed the drug and the claim is about VA's care. They use different forms and carry different burdens, so every count below says which is which.
Drug classes with a pattern in the record
7 classes carry 5 or more granted claims tied to them. A claim counts here only when the drug is tied to that issue and the veteran actually blamed it. Simply naming a drug does not count: 73,306 decisions mention an anti-inflammatory, nearly all of them just listing a treatment history.
Anti-inflammatory painkillers (NSAIDs)
Ibuprofen, naproxen, meloxicam, diclofenac and aspirin. The most common prescription for a service-connected joint or back condition.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (36 grants)
- Peptic ulcer disease (4 grants)
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (4 grants)
- Hypertensive vascular disease (hypertension and isolated systolic hypertension) (3 grants)
- Gastritis, chronic (3 grants)
- Nephrolithiasis/Ureterolithiasis/Nephrocalcinosis (3 grants)
- Hiatal hernia and paraesophageal hernia (2 grants)
- Pulmonary Vascular Disease
- Colitis, ulcerative
- Diverticulitis and diverticulosis
- and 3 more, each granted once
Of those grants: 61 as ordinary secondary service connection.
"Entitlement to service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), as secondary to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) taken for service-connected disabilities, is granted.…"Secondary
Chemotherapy
Cancer treatment drugs. Where the cancer itself is service-connected, damage the treatment leaves behind can be claimed too.
- Paralysis of sciatic nerve (9 grants)
- Paralysis of all radicular groups (6 grants)
- Paralysis of median nerve (4 grants)
- Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) (3 grants)
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (2 grants)
- Paralysis of internal popliteal nerve (tibial) (2 grants)
- Sense of smell, complete loss
- Diffuse interstitial fibrosis (interstitial pneumonitis, fibrosing alveolitis)
- Sleep Apnea Syndromes (Obstructive, Central, Mixed)
- Cardiomyopathy
- and 13 more, each granted once
Of those grants: 46 as ordinary secondary service connection, and 1 under 38 USC 1151 (a claim about VA's own care).
"A 30 percent rating, but no more, from October 1, 2021, for residuals of non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL), to include chemotherapy-induced diarrhea / bowel pattern change, is granted.…"Secondary
Steroids (corticosteroids)
Prednisone, methylprednisolone, cortisone shots and steroid creams, used for asthma, skin conditions, bowel disease and inflamed joints.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (6 grants)
- Diabetes mellitus (4 grants)
- Dermatitis or eczema (3 grants)
- Osteoporosis, residuals of (2 grants)
- Lumbosacral or cervical strain (2 grants)
- Leg, limitation of flexion of (2 grants)
- Open-angle glaucoma (2 grants)
- Migraine (2 grants)
- Major depressive disorder (2 grants)
- Myositis
- and 16 more, each granted once
Of those grants: 38 as ordinary secondary service connection, and 7 under 38 USC 1151 (a claim about VA's own care).
"Entitlement to service connection for a left arm skin disability, claimed as residuals of a steroid shot, variously diagnosed as atopic dermatitis, keratosis pilaris, and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, is granted.…"Secondary
Opioid painkillers
Hydrocodone, oxycodone, tramadol, morphine and methadone, prescribed for service-connected pain.
- Sleep Apnea Syndromes (Obstructive, Central, Mixed) (6 grants)
- Migraine (3 grants)
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (2 grants)
- Major depressive disorder (2 grants)
- Tibia and fibula, impairment of
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Erectile dysfunction, with or without penile deformity
- Unspecified depressive disorder
Of those grants: 26 as ordinary secondary service connection.
"A total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected PTSD with opioid use disorder from January 16, 2018 to October 31, 2018 and from January 1, 2019 is granted.…"Secondary
Lithium and mood stabilizers
Lithium and the psychiatric drugs most associated with weight, thyroid and kidney changes.
Of those grants: 3 as ordinary secondary service connection, and 5 under 38 USC 1151 (a claim about VA's own care).
"Entitlement to compensation pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for diabetes mellitus due to VA medical treatment, including by prescribing the drug Zyprexa (Olanzapine), is granted. K.…"38 USC 1151
Seizure and nerve-pain drugs
Phenytoin (Dilantin), carbamazepine, valproate, gabapentin and topiramate, used for seizures, nerve pain and migraines.
- Osteoporosis, residuals of
- Retinal dystrophy (including retinitis pigmentosa, wet or dry macular degeneration, early-onset macular degeneration, rod and/or cone dystrophy)
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Hiatal hernia and paraesophageal hernia
- Interstitial nephritis, including gouty nephropathy, disorders of calcium metabolism
- Burn scar(s) of the head, face, or neck; scar(s) of the head, face, or neck due to other causes; or other disfigurement of the head, face, or neck
Of those grants: 5 as ordinary secondary service connection, and 2 under 38 USC 1151 (a claim about VA's own care).
"Service connection for Dilantin hyperplasia, as due to medication prescribed for treatment of a service-connected seizure disorder, is granted.…"Secondary
Antipsychotics
Older drugs like haloperidol and chlorpromazine and newer ones like quetiapine and risperidone, used for psychosis and as add-ons in mood disorders.
- Paralysis agitans (3 grants)
- Cataract
- Diabetes mellitus
Of those grants: 4 as ordinary secondary service connection, and 2 under 38 USC 1151 (a claim about VA's own care).
"Entitlement to an effective date of May 24, 2017, but no earlier, for the award of service connection for a movement disorder, diagnosed as benign fasciculation syndrome (BFS) and manifested as essential tremor and tardi…"Secondary
Still unsettled
10 classes the Board has granted only a handful of timesThe record here is real but too thin to show a pattern. A few grants cannot establish that a drug causes anything, and this page does not claim they do. They are listed because silence would read as "nothing exists", which is not true either.
Antimalarial pills (mefloquine, chloroquine)
Mefloquine (Lariam) and chloroquine, issued to troops deploying to malaria areas.
Of those grants: 4 as ordinary secondary service connection.
"Service connection for other adverse effect of medication, Mefloquine toxicity, is granted.…"Secondary
Blood pressure drugs
Lisinopril, amlodipine, losartan, metoprolol, hydrochlorothiazide and the other antihypertensives.
Of those grants: 1 as ordinary secondary service connection, and 3 under 38 USC 1151 (a claim about VA's own care).
"Service connection for a nervous disorder secondary to his antihypertensive medications is granted.…"Secondary
Cholesterol drugs (statins)
Atorvastatin (Lipitor), simvastatin (Zocor) and the other statins.
Of those grants: 2 under 38 USC 1151 (a claim about VA's own care).
"Compensation pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for additional disability caused by VA prescribing the medication Zocor for the Veteran is granted. R.…"38 USC 1151
Fluoroquinolone antibiotics (Cipro, Levaquin)
Ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin, strong antibiotics carrying an FDA warning about tendon and nerve damage.
- Paralysis of sciatic nerve (2 grants)
Of those grants: 2 as ordinary secondary service connection.
"An initial disability rating of 20 percent for service-connected fluoroquinolone-induced polyneuropathy of the right lower extremity (sciatic nerve) is granted.…"Secondary
Sleep and anxiety drugs
Trazodone, zolpidem (Ambien) and the benzodiazepines: alprazolam, clonazepam, diazepam, lorazepam, temazepam.
Of those grants: 1 as ordinary secondary service connection, and 1 under 38 USC 1151 (a claim about VA's own care).
"Therefore it is clear that the abdominal pain is not secondary to PTSD. [The] Veteran states that it is not PTSD that is causing her abdominal pain but the medication for PTSD. [The] Veteran takes Trazodone which may agg…"Secondary
Antidepressants
Sertraline, fluoxetine, escitalopram, duloxetine, bupropion and the older tricyclics.
Of those grants: 1 under 38 USC 1151 (a claim about VA's own care).
"Compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for tardive dyskinesia, manifested by involuntary oral facial movements, secondary to VA medical treatment (medication) is granted.…"38 USC 1151
Blood thinners
Warfarin (Coumadin) and heparin.
Of those grants: 1 as ordinary secondary service connection.
"Entitlement to a separate disability rating of 60 percent for long-term use of anticoagulants due to pulmonary embolism and recurring deep vein thrombosis (DVT), left lower extremity, is granted.…"Secondary
Hepatitis C treatment (interferon, ribavirin)
The older interferon and ribavirin regimen used to treat hepatitis C.
Of those grants: 1 under 38 USC 1151 (a claim about VA's own care).
"As new and material evidence has been presented, the claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for end-stage liver disease due to VA-prescribed interferon treatment is reopened; to this extent only the appeal is gr…"38 USC 1151
Amiodarone (heart rhythm drug)
A drug for irregular heartbeat.
Of those grants: 1 under 38 USC 1151 (a claim about VA's own care).
"Entitlement to service connection for a lung disability, to include as secondary to asbestos exposure and/or service-connected heart disability and/or under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 as a result of the medication, Amiodarone, p…"38 USC 1151
Tuberculosis drugs (isoniazid)
Isoniazid, ethambutol and rifampin, given for tuberculosis and for a positive TB skin test in service.
Of those grants: 1 as ordinary secondary service connection.
"Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, due to isoniazid therapy used to treat tuberculosis in service, is granted.…"Secondary
The bigger picture: claims that never name a drug
335 more grants where the veteran blamed "my medication" without saying whichThe classes above are the part of the record that names a drug. Most of it does not. Veterans and the Board usually argue these claims by condition instead: "reflux caused by the medication I take for my service-connected knee". Of 3,622 such claims, the Board granted 335, denied 1,008 and remanded 2,173 for more development. These are the conditions in the grants.
| Condition granted | Grants | Board decisions |
|---|---|---|
| Erectile dysfunction, with or without penile deformity DC 7522 | 52 | Read decisions ↗ |
| Gastroesophageal reflux disease DC 7206 | 47 | Read decisions ↗ |
| Sleep Apnea Syndromes (Obstructive, Central, Mixed) DC 6847 | 28 | Read decisions ↗ |
| Hypertensive vascular disease (hypertension and isolated systolic hypertension) DC 7101 | 14 | Read decisions ↗ |
| Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) DC 7319 | 14 | Read decisions ↗ |
| Hiatal hernia and paraesophageal hernia DC 7346 | 11 | Read decisions ↗ |
| Peptic ulcer disease DC 7304 | 10 | Read decisions ↗ |
| Diabetes mellitus DC 7913 | 10 | Read decisions ↗ |
| Migraine DC 8100 | 7 | Read decisions ↗ |
| Paralysis of sciatic nerve DC 8520 | 7 | Read decisions ↗ |
| Osteoporosis, residuals of DC 5013 | 5 | Read decisions ↗ |
| Gastritis, chronic DC 7307 | 5 | Read decisions ↗ |
| Arteriosclerotic heart disease (coronary artery disease) DC 7005 | 4 | Read decisions ↗ |
| Major depressive disorder DC 9434 | 4 | Read decisions ↗ |
| Gout DC 5017 | 3 | Read decisions ↗ |
Of those grants: 311 as ordinary secondary service connection, and 24 under 38 USC 1151 (a claim about VA's own care).
Each row goes two ways. The condition name opens the rating page for that code, which covers how VA rates it, not medication claims. Read decisions opens the Board decisions where a medication was blamed for that condition, and those need a free account to view.
Search every medication decision, not just these conditions ↗
Common questions
Is this a reason to stop my medication?
No. Nothing on this page is medical advice, and stopping a prescribed drug on your own can be dangerous. This page reports how the Board has ruled on claims other veterans filed. Any question about your own medication belongs with your doctor.
What is the difference between a secondary claim and a 1151 claim?
A secondary claim says a drug you take for an already service-connected condition caused a new condition, so the new one is service-connected too. A 38 USC 1151 claim says VA's own treatment injured you, and it generally requires showing VA was at fault or that the harm was not a reasonably expected result. Different forms, different burdens. The 1151 claim guide covers the second one.
Why is there no grant rate on this page?
Because the samples are far too small for one to mean anything. A percentage calculated from a handful of decisions looks like a statistic and behaves like noise. The counts are shown raw so you can see exactly how thin or thick the record is.
Why isn't my medication listed?
A drug class appears only if the Board granted at least one claim properly tied to it. Where the record holds accusations but no grants, there is nothing to report and it is left off. Also, most of these claims never name a drug at all, which is why the condition table at the bottom of the page is the larger picture.
How would a veteran prove one of these?
The Board record repeats one thing: a medical opinion connecting the drug to the new condition. This page reports outcomes only. A VA-accredited representative can help with your own case, free.
Related Tools and Guides
RateMyVSO. Educational aggregate of published Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions. Not affiliated with the VA. Not legal or medical advice, and nothing here is a reason to stop or change a medication, talk to your doctor. Whether a medication caused a condition in a specific case is a medical and legal question, a VSO representative can help.