On September 23, 2008, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that veterans with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may receive much-needed support for themselves and their families. ALS will now be considered a compensable illness and all veterans suffering from ALS who have 90 days or more of continuously active service in the military can file a claim and be compensated for their illness. ALS, also referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neuromuscular disease that affects approximately 20,000-30,000 people in the United States, and is almost always fatal. The decision by VA Secretary Dr. James B. Peake was based primarily on the 2006 Institute of Medicine report Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Veterans: Review of the Scientific Literature, which concluded that "there is limited and suggestive evidence of an association between military service and later development of ALS."