Archive for the ‘Mesothelioma’ Category

A new bill introduced to the Ohio state legislature could potentially limit the rights of asbestos exposure victims in pursuing compensation for their illness.

The Associated Press reports that Republican lawmakers in Ohio are advocating a bill that would require asbestos victims filing lawsuits, to disclose details about claims made towards trusts set up for bankrupt companies that manufactured the toxic material.

Politicians sponsoring the bill include House and Senate Representative Lou Blessing and Senator Bill Seitz, who argue the bill, would not tarnish those filing claims, but would protect against those who file multiple ones.

Asbestos litigation in Ohio once produced one of the largest repertoires of cases in the United States. In recent times, legislative actions such as the current bill have reduced the number of asbestos lawsuits filed by individuals.

Asbestos was predominantly used in industrial products, including brake linings, cement, roof shingles, flooring products and insulation. Construction workers are still being exposed to asbestos during remodeling and demolition.

Exposure to asbestos is linked to a variety of health ailments and fatal conditions, such as mesothelioma. Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure. Mesothelioma prognosis is poor as a result of limited treatment and difficulty diagnosing the disease. In addition to mesothelioma, asbestos significantly increases the risk of developing lung, kidney and larynx cancer.

A law was passed in 2004 which requires plaintiffs to obtain written testimony from a medical professional who has treated and discovered their health has been severely weakened as a result of asbestos.

A recent ruling made by the Ohio Supreme Court allowed the 2004 bill to be applied to cases before the law was enacted. Since that time, over 30,000 Asbestos lawsuits were completely dismissed.

Democratic Governor Ted Strickland has given indications that he would veto any potential bill by Ohio Republicans which could further people’s right to seek justice under the United States law.

“I will look at it very, very carefully and will try to make the best judgment regarding my response, if in fact it does pass. I will likely oppose an effort to limit an individual’s right to seek justice under the law,” Governor Strickland said.

For more information on asbestos litigation, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

While it is common knowledge that cigarette smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, much of the public is unaware that asbestos exposure can also cause the disease. In fact, those who have been exposed to asbestos and continue to smoke cigarettes, the risk of developing lung cancer is increased by as much as 90 times. These individuals are also at a greater risk of developing both asbestosis and mesothelioma.

There is hope for smokers who have experienced asbestos exposure. Evidence has suggested that asbestos-exposed workers who quit smoking can reduce their risk of developing lung cancer by up to 50 percent within five years of quitting.

According to statistics from the Environmental Working Group, about 5,000 people in the United States pass away each year from asbestos-related lung cancer.

Nonetheless, relief does exist for those afflicted with an asbestos-related disease, as law firms across the nation have helped and guided patients through legal recourse. To date, many asbestos exposure victims have had success in receiving compensation for medical bills with the assistance of a mesothelioma lawyer.

Asbestos exposure can occur at home or in the workplace through everyday products such as roofing shingles, floor and ceiling tiles, insulation, brake pads, boilers and more. Industries that have placed workers most at risk of exposure include the automotive, construction, electrical and shipyard industries.

Because of the long latency period that is associated with asbestos-related disease, it is absolutely crucial for exposed victims to seek medical examinations on a regular basis. Many patients are often diagnosed when the disease has already reached an advanced stage of development.

Household members of those working with asbestos should also receive routine examinations because secondary exposure is equally dangerous. In most cases, the fibers that make up asbestos are carried home on the skin and clothes of workers and are later inhaled by family members. Even pets are susceptible of inhaling or ingesting these fibers and contracting a disease.

It’s important to realize that any disturbance to an asbestos-containing material can result in the release of asbestos fibers. If inhaled, these fibers will often become trapped in the surroundings of the lungs and cause disease later in life. Medical checkups are especially important for anyone who may have been exposed to asbestos several decades ago.

For additional information on the effects of asbestos exposure, visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

The Australian Government is refusing to guarantee asbestos victims compensation due to pressure from mining giant BHP Billiton. The Asbestos Victims Association is demanding full compensation for those afflicted with asbestos-related illness.

Campaigners say that companies were aware of the dangers of asbestos in 1960, but Australia’s minister has labeled 1971 as the year when companies first acknowledged the damaging components of asbestos.

Campaigner Terry Miller says the laws passed in Parliament three years ago, but the government is pushing for a later date, which leaves victims and their families with many questions.

“In May of this year he invited us to comment on a review date of 1971. We believe that it should be 1960 and we believe that would be fair. The delay just makes me angry,” Miller stated.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring, fibrous mineral that has been used throughout the 20th century as a form of insulation. When its fibers become airborne, they may be inhaled and can cause lung-related illnesses, such as mesothelioma.

Mining corporate giant BHP Billiton believes it is unfair for courts to impose damage fees. In August, BHP recorded annual net profits which are considered record highs.

Although manufacturers of asbestos knew about the dreadful affects of the material, it was still used in millions of homes and buildings throughout the 20th century. Caused by exposure to asbestos fibers, the number of mesothelioma survivors is unfortunately small. Since there is no mesothelioma cure available, treatment is limited and prognosis is typically poor.

Senator Nick Xenophon is worried that the government will side with BHP. He believes the government needs to decide whether it will look out for citizens who suffer the consequence of asbestos-related disease or protect billionaire CEO’s.

Victims and families of mesothelioma are displaying great concern over these proceedings. There is a skepticism being displayed towards big government and their love for shareholders and profits.

A spokesperson for Australia’s Attorney General said any representations made, especially by BHP Billiton, will not cause constituents to change their minds. At the present time, a plan to fully compensate victims and push the date back to 1960 is still being considered by the Australian Parliament.

For information on asbestos and mesothelioma, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

The company Alfacell has recently announced the resignation of president, chief financial officer and corporate secretary Lawrence Kenyon. He has officially accepted another position as executive vice president of finance at Par Pharmaceutical, Inc.

However, Kenyon will continue in his position and remain on the board of directors for Alfacell until January 31, 2009.

Alfacell is the first company to take a biopharmaceutical product that works in a similar fashion to RNA interference (RNAi) through late-stage clinical trials. The product that is being tested is ONCANASE, which enables the development of new therapies for cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

ONCANASE offers a therapeutic medication based on Alfacell’s proprietary ribonuclease (RNase) technology. Interesting enough, it is a natural protein taken from the leopard frog. Several studies have shown it can be used to kill cancer cells while sparing normal cells throughout the body.

Because of their success with the medication, Alfacell has decided to proceed with a cost reduction program that is aimed to reduce all other programs and personnel costs not related to ONCANASE. This will allow them to complete and fully invest in a New Drug Application submission for ONCANASE in patients afflicted by malignant mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that most commonly affects the lining of the lungs. However, other areas of the body that can contract the disease include the abdomen and heart. Prospective treatments for this disease are crucial for patients because there is currently no mesothelioma cure available. 

Alfacell also hopes the multiple cost reductions will position the company in a way that they will be able to continue their ONCANASE project after receiving guidance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Since its recent success, ONCANASE has already been granted fast track status and orphan-drug designation by the U.S. FDA for mesothelioma treatment. In addition, the product has also been granted orphan-drug designation in the European Union and Australia.

For more information of mesothelioma treatment, visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

Once praised for its fire-resistant and insulating properties, the naturally occurring mineral asbestos has become a worldwide tragic problem. Since the beginning of its use, many countries have been faced with catastrophic numbers of asbestos exposure and asbestos-related disease.

This is especially true for Australia, which currently has the highest incidence of mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. In most cases, the disease affects the lining of the lungs, which is known as pleural mesothelioma. However, other areas of the body that are known to contract the disease include the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma) and heart (pericardial mesothelioma).

Estimates predict a total of 18,000 Australians will have died from malignant mesothelioma by 2020. If additional asbestos-related diseases outside of mesothelioma are included, those estimates are expected to be as high as 40,000.

Such devastating statistics have resulted in Australia establishing strict asbestos regulations, including their steps to ban the use and importation of asbestos and asbestos products in 2003.

Another big step for Australia was the Dust Diseases Act, which was implemented in 2005. This act enabled employees to receive exemplary damages if their employers knowingly exposed them to asbestos. These improvements in health and safety legislation have been developed to protect workers and public citizens from the effects of asbestos exposure. Many attribute these developments to good scientific research and asbestos awareness campaigns by trade unions.

Nonetheless, compensation for asbestos-related diseases has been a troublesome process for many individuals. Sometimes claims have been denied by strict compensation laws and old court procedures. Other issues have involved insurance companies and their ability to delay court proceedings, which often results in the passing of the asbestos victim before compensation is ever awarded.

Previous industrial use of asbestos began in the late 19th century. Between 1900 and 1950, it is estimated that global production of the toxic mineral increased from 0.5 million tons to 1.3 million tons. After 1950, the production of asbestos continued to climb until it finally peaked in 1977, reaching 4.8 million tons.

For more information on the effects of asbestos exposure, visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

A safety action plan launched by the Minister for Australia’s State Industrial Relations aims to prevent mesothelioma and asbestos-related disease through education and awareness.

Dubbed the Asbestos Safety Action Plan, the initiative was developed by the Asbestos Advisory Committee and announced during the Asbestos Victim’s Memorial Day.

Under the plan, new guidance and training materials for workers would be handed out by the government. The Environmental Protection Authority would allow information on how to dispose asbestos in a safe manner to be distributed to potential home buyers and real estate agents.

Paul Caica, Minister of Industrial Relations, held the launch at a service during the Asbestos Victims Memorial Day, which paid tribute to those that perished as a result of asbestos cancer.

Mr. Caica stated the plan would incorporate five strategic initiatives focusing on many aspects of society: communication, education, training, partnerships, research and intervention.

“For the first time, we have a comprehensive, community-wide plan of attack on the hazards of asbestos exposure,” Mr. Caica said.

Highly regarded as a an aggressive cancer, mesothelioma is both difficult to treat and diagnose.  With limited treatment and a short survival window, mesothelioma prognosis is usually poor and studies show an average survival rate of less than one per-year.

Due to a large rate of asbestos use in mining, Australia has one of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world. According to recent studies, over 600 cases are diagnosed each year in Australia and that number is not expected to decline.  It is estimated that most public buildings, hospitals, schools and homes built between 1840 and 1987 in Australia contain asbestos.

Asbestos is a mineral found naturally in the environment and used commonly throughout the 20th century as a form of insulation, piping and roofing.  With asbestos still abundant in building fixtures, the plan will include extensive focus on asbestos information and education in communities, organizations and unions.

The plan was developed with an all-or-nothing approach, gaining support from industry and community groups. The hope is that everybody will work together to prevent and control further exposure to the corrosive substance.

“The Asbestos Action Plan demonstrates the Australian Government’s commitment to work together with industry and community organizations to address this terrible epidemic,” Caica said.

For information on mesothelioma treatment, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

Since filing an asbestos-related lawsuit last year against several manufacturers of asbestos products, James Ross has finally received word that the required autopsy for mesothelioma claimants in King County, Washington will be waived in his case.

According to the law, mesothelioma victims who pass away during civil litigation in King County must undergo an autopsy. Regardless of the law, Ross objected to this stating a physician had already diagnosed him with mesothelioma and that an autopsy would be unnecessary. He also wanted to relieve his wife, Esther, the emotional stress of an autopsy while trying to plan his funeral.

King County Superior Court Judge Paris Kallas is the one who ordered the autopsy to be waived for Ross. However, the ruling does not overturn the county’s autopsy policy for mesothelioma victims. She stated, “The court grants Mr. Ross’ motion for a protective order… this does not prevent the defense from specifically seeking permission for an autopsy.”

After the ruling, Ross’ mesothelioma lawyer pushed to have the county stop requiring autopsies on those filing suit for asbestos-related diseases. Although his request was denied, he believes the case lays the groundwork for additional court challenges in the future.

Ross worked for 51 years as a Seattle-based brakeman and conductor for Great Northern Railway (today known as BNSF Railway). He thinks his illness was a direct result of the chemicals on the brake shoes he worked with and by asbestos in products used while remodeling his home.

When diagnosed two years ago, Ross was only given about eight months to live. Today, the case is scheduled for trial in March of 2009.
Defense lawyers for the companies being sued say Ross should not have received protection from an autopsy because he did not argue for protection based on religious beliefs.

According to Washington Law, individuals in asbestos litigation can opt out of the autopsy if they cite religious reasons. However, Ross is objecting because he believes that an autopsy results in the destruction and disfiguration of the body. He’s calling this argument “rank discrimination.”

For additional information on asbestos litigation, visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

In one of President Bush’s final legislative pushes, aides are rushing to complete new regulations which would make it harder for the government to regulate asbestos and other hazardous chemicals.

Strenuously opposed by President Elect-Obama, the proposal would add a step or two in an already lengthy process of producing standards to protect the health of workers. Public health professionals assessing the bill predicted it would result in additional deaths and illnesses.

One of 20 bills the Bush administration is planning to issue in its final weeks, many notable politicians and environmental organizations have harshly criticized any regulations which would undermine human health and environmental safety.

In September, Senator Obama and four other senators introduced a bill to congress that would not allow the Labor Department from installing the rule it is now pushing to enact.

“It would create serious obstacles to protect workers from health hazards on the jobs,” Obama said.

Claiming more people than any other work-related disease, mesothelioma is a deadly form of cancer which develops through exposure to asbestos fibers.

Pericardial mesothelioma is caused by inhaling asbestos fibers that travel the bloodstream from the lungs to the heart. Cells will undergo changes that may result in cancer. These fibers become lodged in the pericardial membranes that surround the heart. With no mesothelioma cure, prognosis is poor and treatment is limited. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 cases are diagnosed each year in the United States alone, adding up to three percent of all cancer diagnoses.

According to Bush administration officials, the concerns being raised are a result of misunderstanding the proposal.

“This proposal does not affect the substance or methodology of risk assessments, and it does not weaken any health standard,” said Leon R. Sequeira, the assistant secretary of labor for policy.

The Bush administration believes the proposal would allow for the best data and evidence from industries to assess the harm these chemicals commit. The Labor Department rule is among many that the administration is poised to issue before the White House is turned over to the next president.

An incoming president can reverse any executive orders issued by his predecessor once he takes office. However, it is difficult for a new president to change or disbar final regulations already put in place by a former president.

Obama and other congressional lawmakers are pushing the Labor Department to issue standards to protect workers against known hazards.

Representative George Miller, a California Democrat and chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, believes the proposal would significantly weaken future workplace regulations and slow their adoption.

For more information on asbestos legislation, please visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

More than a thousand local residents in Libby, Montana have been affected by asbestos-containing vermiculite since the 1920s. In fact, over 200 of these residents have actually passed away from an asbestos-related disease.

This is why the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has recently released a report identifying the groups of people most at-risk to asbestos exposure in this area. In addition, the report makes public health recommendations for asbestos-contaminated sites and lists 78 other sites that have received Libby vermiculite throughout the United States.

The three groups mentioned in the report that are most at-risk include those who worked in any of the exfoliation facilities, those who lived with any of these workers, and members of the community that had frequent and direct contact with vermiculite and waste rock from these facilities.

According to Dr. Cibulas, the goal of the report is to “inform the public and reach out to workers and families who may have been exposed and have not yet sought out necessary medical screening.”

ATSDR’s report also mentions the importance of continued health education for those who have been exposed to asbestos. To do their part, the agency has provided health education kits to health care professionals and members of the community.

ATSDR originally began evaluating the Libby vermiculite sites at the request of the Environmental Protection Agency. In May, 2008, the ATSDR and EPA announced an $8 million push to enhance the scientific understanding of the fibers that make up asbestos.

The vermiculite that was mined in Libby was contaminated with amphibole asbestos. This particular type of asbestos has been linked to several serious diseases, including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. Malignant mesothelioma, which is an extremely rare type of cancer, can develop in three different forms. These include pleural mesothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma, and peritoneal mesothelioma.  

Many of the workers in Libby experienced asbestos exposure through a process called exfoliation, in which the asbestos-contaminated vermiculite is heated up until it expands. Once the vermiculite expands, asbestos fibers are released into the air where they can be inhaled.

Those who may have been exposed to asbestos, whether living in Libby or any other part of the country, are encouraged to seek the advice of their doctor. ATSDR hopes the information provided in their report will help people understand the potential risks associated with asbestos and what steps they can take if exposure has occurred.

For more information on the effects of asbestos exposure, visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.

The discovery of extensive asbestos contamination in a big industrial compound in San Antonio, Texas illuminates many of the dangers associated with the harmful building material.

Found during a routine environmental cleanup, the discovery has put the completion of the process in serious doubt. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) will lead efforts in cleaning and restoring the old “Big Tex” site south of San Antonio.

Federal crews are already removing the contaminated soil by scraping off four to six inches in affected areas. They will also remove asbestos from two contaminated buildings on the site. In the heart of a populated area, workers are doing everything in their power to prevent any airborne asbestos to escape the site.

During the removal process, EPA crews will wear protective gear, including special respiratory masks that guard against possible airborne fibers. Not yet banned in the United States and other parts of the world, the findings highlight the risks workers and citizens face on a daily basis.

The inhalation of asbestos fibers may result in the development of mesothelioma and other forms of asbestos-related illness.

Used as a form of insulation throughout the 20th century, asbestos was known for its durability and resistance to fire and other conditions. Because of its widespread usage, millions of Americans were exposed to the corrosive material, which led to the development of terminal diseases.

There is a higher risk of asbestos contamination in homes or buildings which were built before 1980. As these fixtures age, they become more hazardous and can release asbestos fibers in the air for inhalation.

Occurring in a layer of tissue that covers the majority of your internal organs, research has found that it can take 20 to 50 years or more for malignant mesothelioma to develop. With limited treatment and poor prognosis, it has killed more people than any other work-related disease.

With no mesothelioma cure and thousands of people afflicted, this incident raises the argument for pushing extensive legislative action in regards to placing a permanent ban on asbestos.

Asbestos removal requires adherence to safety protocols and procedures to avoid lethal exposures to its fibers. Expected to cost $500,000 to clean up, the EPA will seek reimbursement from current owners of the location that are found responsible for the contamination.

For information on asbestos exposure, visit the Mesothelioma Cancer Center.