Mesothelioma Law Blog

Industrialized Countries are Facing a Global Disease Epidemic.

Every year, two million workers die of occupational causes, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO). Seventy-five per cent of these preventable deaths are due to work-related disease. Of these diseases, cancer is the biggest killer. The single largest contributor to this work-related cancer epidemic is exposure to asbestos, causing 100,000 to 140,000 deaths annually worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that between 5 and 10 million people will ultimately die from asbestos-related diseases.

Historically, Canada has been one of the world’s leading sources of chrysotile asbestos, the most common variety.

Used in thousands of products for its heat-resistance, its insulating properties and its strength, over 300 million tonnes of asbestos have been mined in the last century.

Most common uses of asbestos have been banned since the 1980s, but today it is used primarily in cement materials manufactured and used in developing countries.
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Fight Against Mesothelioma Going Global

The International Union against Cancer (IUCC) recently hosted a World Cancer Congress and set forth a plan to fight the growing number of cancer deaths by the year 2020. Sixty-three experts and policy makers from around the world wrote the declaration that hopes to change the face of cancer today. The plan's goal is to ensure that all people can access treatment for cancer as well as the pain medication needed to treat cancer symptoms.

The targets set forth at the summit began with focusing efforts on screening programs and early detection processes especially for individuals living in poorer countries. "We know that one-third of the cancer burden could be cured if there were early detection and proper access to medical help," Mary Robinson, who chaired the panel, told reporters.

Worldwide numbers show that last year 7.9 million people died from some form of cancer and over 25 million currently live with the disease. To decrease this number the panel discussed the need for tobacco usage to decrease and obesity rates to drop.

The specialists also added a need for "effective pain control measures" for all patients. "This is probably one of the most important targets because there is no excuse. Intravenous morphine is very, very cheap. So every country in the world can buy that," said Franco Cavalli, the IUCC's outgoing president.

The IUCC hopes to gain worldwide participation to meet the goals set forth at the 2008 summit and plans to ask governments and the private sector for assistance.

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