Ban On Asbestos Promotes Cure for Mesothelioma

Posted by

December 13, 2007

On October 4^th of 2007, the U.S. Senate passed a bill that bans the use of materials that contain asbestos in a concentration greater than 1%. The bill was passed through the system unanimously. In addition to banning the cancer-causing substance, the bill also called for federal funding to help research a cure for mesothelioma.

Currently, there are no highly-effective pharmaceutical means of controlling the deadly disease. While there are certain measures of prolonging the lifespan of persons with mesothelioma, most that are diagnosed with die within two years. Researchers hope to change this with federal funding – they hope that they can find more effective means of mesothelioma control and, ideally, a cure for the debilitating cancer.

Most individuals with mesothelioma are those that were exposed to asbestos in their youth while working in factories or mills prior to the discovery that inhalation of asbestos fibers causes cancer. Many who are diagnosed with mesothelioma go on to settle with their former employers for pain and suffering related to their diagnosis. While a monetary settlement can help with medical bills and the financial responsibility of losing a loved one, it does not change the fact that being diagnosed with mesothelioma is a death sentence.

The only means of preventing further spread of mesothelioma cancer is by eliminating the use of asbestos-containing products altogether. Asbestos particles can become lodged in the lungs from just menial exposure to the substance. Once this occurs, the legions caused in the lungs by the asbestos particles can turn into cancerous tumors.

Over the last decade, the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation has provided researchers with more than $4 million dollars in grant money to study the disease. However, this is unfortunately not enough. The current bill would provide researchers with $10 million dollars in federal grants each year to use toward developing effective mesothelioma medications and treatments. Until the use of asbestos is eliminated, finding a cure for mesothelioma is our only chance in fighting against the disease. Luckily in this case, lawmakers are just as against the cause of the disease as those who have suffered through it.

Original Article

News