Eternit Seeks to Protect Itself, Shed Asbestos Exposure Blame

November 28, 2011

An ongoing trial in Italy is the latest example of an asbestos company looking to skirt the legal system and absolve itself from blame at the expense of exposure victims. In a recent blog post, Laurie Kazan-Allen, the Coordinator of International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS), noted that the “Great Asbestos Trial” involving asbestos conglomerate Eternit [...]

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Some Conservative Canadian Lawmakers Question Asbestos Position

November 21, 2011

Exposure to asbestos causes malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. This is a fact that has been proven for nearly 50 years and is accepted by virtually every medical professional on the planet, but that hasn’t stopped some Canadian officials from claiming the naturally occurring substance can be used safely. However, a growing number of [...]

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Government Accountability Office Refutes Asbestos Manufacturers’ Claims Over Trusts

November 8, 2011

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report that demonstrates the true role of asbestos trusts, suggesting that these trusts do, in fact, have measures to prevent fraud and are transparent. According to the report, which was requested by House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith, asbestos trusts paid out approximately 3.3 million claims valued [...]

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Honeywell International Attempts to Shed Liability through New Legislation

November 1, 2011

Having been a member of the board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) since 2007, Honeywell International is hoping the government arm can succeed in granting legal immunity to corporations that manufacture dangerous products. According to a recent report from the American Association of Justice, the ILR has sought to [...]

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New Gene Sequencer is Poised to Revolutionize Mesothelioma Research

October 25, 2011

In the U.S., mesothelioma has led to countless deaths, and currently, little can be done about it. However, the Thoracic Oncology Program at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has ushered in a new era in mesothelioma research by acquiring a state-of-the-art genetic sequencing tool. Called the 5500 SOLiD Sequencer, the device offers researchers [...]

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A Deadly Reminder: 20th Anniversary of Overturning U.S. Asbestos Ban Marked

October 18, 2011

On October 18, 1991, vested interests including the federal government of Canada, the province of Quebec and asbestos supporters and stakeholders successfully overturned the U.S. Asbestos Ban and Phase-Out Rule (ABPR). Laurie Kazan-Allen, the Coordinator of International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS), said in a press conference marking the anniversary in Ottawa that the decision to [...]

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Major New Mesothelioma Technology Celebrated at UCSF

October 11, 2011

I was honored last week to speak at an intimate reception which celebrated the inauguration of a major collaboration between global biotechnology company Life Technologies Inc. and the Thoracic Oncology Laboratory at the University of California in San Francisco. Founded in 1995 by thoracic surgeon David M. Jablons, MD and thoracic oncologist Thierry Jahan, MD, [...]

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Korea Expects Asbestos Deaths to Peak in 2045

October 4, 2011

Last year, the World Health Organization updated its estimate of how many people are killed annually due to asbestos exposure from 90,000 to 107,000, but sadly that number will likely only go up in coming years. One country in particular that expects to see its asbestos death toll rise is Korea. According to the Korea [...]

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$43 Million Asbestos Settlement Approved for Libby Victims

September 19, 2011

Few communities in the world have been as heavily affected by asbestos as Libby, Montana, and those suffering from asbestos-related diseases in the town recently received a bit of good news. District Judge Jeffrey Sherlock in Helena approved a $43 million settlement from the state that will go to those suffering from asbestosis, malignant mesothelioma [...]

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Congress May Attack Trusts in Asbestos Litigation

September 13, 2011

While the issue of asbestos litigation is nothing new for members of Congress, lawmakers on the Hill have decided to initiate another examination of such cases, this time going after the trusts set up by companies to pay compensation to victims who deserve it. According to a recent article in the National Law Journal, Republicans [...]

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