Researchers recently conducted a study on the risk of developing mesothelioma a full four decades after having been first exposed to asbestos. Unfortunately, the study showed that it is not possible to outlive the risk of mesothelioma because a long latency period does not diminish the toxicity of asbestos. In…
Massachusetts’ oldest structures may be more likely to contain asbestos. According to the Boston Globe, the hospital that provided care to young victims of tuberculosis for decades continues to pose a risk of asbestos exposure. The Plymouth County Hospital was shut down in 1992 and still sits idle and decaying.…
Asbestos lurks in structures throughout Boston’s metropolitan area and the state of Massachusetts. The threat of exposure has created an incentive for government agencies as well as legislators to invest in clean-up to protect residents and workers. In a revitalization effort in Holyoke, the Environmental Protection Agency is providing the…
Though the risks of asbestos exposure are well-documented, there continues to be the potential for exposure in Boston and nationwide. City, state, and federal regulations are in place to limit the risks of exposure and to ensure that individuals and entities remain accountable when handling or removing asbestos. In a…
Worldwide, medical researchers and scientists continue to pour over records and data to develop new approaches for treating the deadly cancer mesothelioma. According to a new study published by a team of Japanese researchers, chemotherapy combined with cisplatin and pemetrexed continue to be the most effective treatment for mesothelioma patients.…
Mesothelioma is one of the deadliest forms of cancer and the majority of patients are given a bleak diagnosis. While most patients will seek some kind of treatment, others will be given a very short time to live and focus on pain relief and comfort. One mesothelioma patient is bringing…
Asbestos has a very long history of use, with new research indicating that it dates back to at least the late 1100s. Unfortunately, asbestos has been proven to significantly increase the risk of serious medical problems including lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestos. Those who are exposed to asbestos in old…
Asbestos Awareness Week takes place each year at the beginning of April. In 2014, the 10th Annual Asbestos Awareness Week ran from April 1- April 7. Asbestos Awareness Week is presented by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) and it involves a multi-pronged campaign designed to both raise awareness of…
A plumber has filed a lawsuit against a medical center for wrongful termination, claiming he was fired because he reported asbestos to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Employers are generally prohibited by law from firing whistleblowers who report wrongdoing or who alert OSHA to workplace health hazards. As such,…
The estate of a shipfitter who died of mesothelioma at aged 62 recently won a lawsuit against nine asbestos companies. The shipfitter’s wife sued and claimed that her husband’s exposure to asbestos occurred when he worked at the Philadelphia Navel Shipyard between 1965 and 1971. Although he left this career…