Mesothelioma and the Importance of Asbestos Disposal Management
Asbestos disposal is important to preventing cases of malignant mesothelioma. A review by an international team of researchers outlines three ways that asbestos can be managed safely. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that can be found around the world. It was very popular as a manufacturing material because it is impossible to set on fire or corrode, and it can be woven into other materials. Since it is found naturally in the ground, it is also a cheap material. Despite these attractive qualities, asbestos is dangerous because it is toxic and causes cancer. It is classified as a known human carcinogen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the International Agency for … Continue reading Mesothelioma and the Importance of Asbestos Disposal Management
Global Call for Asbestos Hazardous Waste Management Strategies
A new report in the Journal of Environmental Management warns that asbestos-bans should be supported by coordinated asbestos hazardous waste management strategies. Asbestos is classified as a Class I Carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Sixty countries have bans on asbestos. The US, China, India, and Russia are not among them. Nonetheless, asbestos is still part of the daily life of the population as asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are still present in many buildings constructed and renovated before the 1990s. Asbestos has been used by many automobile, construction, manufacturing, power, and chemical industries for many years. Asbestos was a popular insulator because it resists heat and flame. The identification and coordinated management of asbestos hazardous waste is … Continue reading Global Call for Asbestos Hazardous Waste Management Strategies
Cosmetic Talc Can Cause Mesothelioma, Study Finds
A new study in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine appears to offer definitive evidence that repeated exposure to cosmetic talc can cause mesothelioma. It is an issue that has come up repeatedly in courtrooms in recent years. Lawyers for mesothelioma patients who have used cosmetic talc say the products are unsafe. Manufacturers like Johnson & Johnson insist they are pure. But the new study shows that may not be the case. If the product is contaminated with asbestos, as many appear to be, the study shows cosmetic talc can cause mesothelioma. How Can Cosmetic Talc Cause Mesothelioma? Talcum powder is made from talc, which contains magnesium and silicon. Because it absorbs moisture, people use it to keep skin dry … Continue reading Cosmetic Talc Can Cause Mesothelioma, Study Finds
Asbestos Ban Moves One Step Closer to Reality in Congress
A congressional committee has granted bipartisan approval to a bill that would establish an asbestos ban in the US. The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 47 to 1 to approve the bill. The vote took place on November 19th. Mesothelioma advocacy groups like the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization are praising the move. ADAO president Linda Reinstein is the widow of the mesothelioma patient for whom the bill is named. “This comprehensive bill will protect workers, consumers, and children from being exposed to the deadly threat of asbestos and stop hundreds of tons of asbestos from entering the United States,” said Reinstein. Doesn’t the US Have an Asbestos Ban? Asbestos is a recognized toxin and carcinogen. It causes many serious … Continue reading Asbestos Ban Moves One Step Closer to Reality in Congress
Talcum Powder Can Cause Mesothelioma New Study Shows
A prestigious medical journal has published the strongest evidence yet that asbestos-tainted talcum powder can cause mesothelioma. The new article appears in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. It involved 33 mesothelioma patients. In every case, each patient’s only known exposure to asbestos was through talcum powder. In six cases, researchers went a step further to find asbestos fibers in the tissue samples. “Asbestos of the type found in talcum powder was found in all six cases evaluated,” reports lead researcher Jacqueline Moline, MD. Dr. Moline is a professor and researcher at Hofstra University School of Medicine in New York. Since there was no other way for these patients to have come in contact with asbestos, Moline and her … Continue reading Talcum Powder Can Cause Mesothelioma New Study Shows
Risk for Mesothelioma Does Not Decline After Asbestos Exposure Stops
A new report contains some disappointing news for former asbestos workers: The risk for mesothelioma does not go down when asbestos exposure stops. A team of US and Italian researchers reached that conclusion after combing the medical literature for studies on the risk for mesothelioma. Although the risk for several other cancers declines when the person is no longer in contact with the carcinogen, the study shows this does not apply to asbestos cancer. Asbestos Increases Mesothelioma Risk Asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma. It is a naturally-occurring mineral that is resistant to corrosion, does not burn, and makes an excellent insulator. Malignant mesothelioma was virtually unheard of until people started mining and using asbestos in industry. Since then, … Continue reading Risk for Mesothelioma Does Not Decline After Asbestos Exposure Stops
Environmental Group Calls for Oversight of Asbestos in Personal Care Products
Environmental experts say there’s a need for more oversight of asbestos in personal care products. Asbestos can cause malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis and other serious health problems. Although the FDA says it is not allowed in personal care products, several retailers have gotten in trouble recently for traces of asbestos in personal care products. Some face lawsuits. Why is Asbestos in Personal Care Products? Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that is heat resistant, won’t burn, and doesn’t corrode. It is also plentiful and inexpensive. There was a time when dozens of household products, from Christmas decor to hairdryers – contained asbestos. But after the government learned about the link between asbestos and mesothelioma, they passed strict rules about asbestos … Continue reading Environmental Group Calls for Oversight of Asbestos in Personal Care Products
Advocacy Groups Call for Asbestos Ban on Mesothelioma Awareness Day
Today marks the annual Mesothelioma Awareness Day in the US and mesothelioma patient advocacy groups are once again using the day to call for a total ban on asbestos, the primary cause of of this rare and deadly cancer. Asbestos is a carcinogenic mineral that was once commonly used in a variety of building, insulation, and household products. Since it was definitively linked to both pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma in the early part of the 20th century, fifty-five countries have banned it. Even though asbestos is blamed for the mesothelioma deaths of an estimated 2,500 Americans every year (and as many as 40,000 deaths from other asbestos-related illnesses), the US has failed to institute a ban — a fact that … Continue reading Advocacy Groups Call for Asbestos Ban on Mesothelioma Awareness Day
New Mesothelioma Case Renews Talcum Powder Fears
Jurors in a California courtroom are being asked to consider this week whether Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder products are responsible for another case of malignant pleural mesothelioma. This is the sixth such mesothelioma trial involving Johnson & Johnson, which is already named in thousands of lawsuits brought by women with ovarian cancer. In the latest case, 59-year-old Carolyn Weirick, who was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in 2017, claims her disease was caused by a lifetime of accidental inhalation of asbestos fibers when using Johnson’s Baby Powder or Johnson’s Shower to Shower Powder. Although Johnson & Johnson has maintained that their talc products are pure and safe, Weirick’s lawyer Jay Stuemke told jurors, “Talc is not as pure as people … Continue reading New Mesothelioma Case Renews Talcum Powder Fears
Experimental Mesothelioma Drugs and the New Right-to-Try Law
Legislation signed this week by President Trump could pave the way for mesothelioma patients to access promising experimental treatments—even years before they are approved by the FDA. But not everyone thinks it is a good idea. The “Right to Try” legislation gives patients with terminal illnesses like malignant mesothelioma the right to receive new treatments they would not normally be able to get because they haven’t gone through the FDA’s three-phase testing requirement. Controversy Over New Legislation Although the legislation could make it easier for some patients to access potentially life-saving mesothelioma treatments, it is also not without controversy. Some argue it could even be dangerous. Typically, the FDA requires that all proposed mesothelioma therapies go through three-phases of studies … Continue reading Experimental Mesothelioma Drugs and the New Right-to-Try Law
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