News

In a recent article published by The Guardian, it has been announced that a groundbreaking drug has been developed for treating mesothelioma, a cancer notoriously difficult to treat and linked to asbestos exposure. The drug, ADI-PEG20, was tested alongside chemotherapy in an international trial led by Queen Mary University of London. The article highlights results published in JAMA Oncology, which showed that the drug has the potential to quadruple the three-year survival rates, marking the most significant breakthrough in two decades for this aggressive and deadly cancer. The trial involved patients from five countries and demonstrated a significant increase in overall survival [...]

The popular Sunday evening programme Call The Midwife originally aired in 2012 set in 1957 Poplar, East London. Throughout the 13 series since, the BBC show has addressed countless economic, political, and healthcare-related issues that affected the East End in post-war London. In the most recent episode, aired on Sunday, 11th February 2024, the show introduced a working mother, Gladys, who, after presenting with stomach cramps, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Whilst asbestos exposure was widespread during this period, with workers coming into contact with the substance daily whilst working on docks, in construction, [...]

The dangers of asbestos were, until relatively recently, unknown. Due to the latency period associated with exposure to the substance, many people that suffer from an asbestos-related disease do not present with symptoms until 40, 50 or 60 years after their exposure. Whilst awareness has significantly increased since the ban on asbestos was implemented in the UK in 1999, many people are still unaware of the implications that even slight exposure can cause. Asbestos Awareness is a website dedicated to educating people, sufferers of asbestos-related diseases and their families. In this article, we highlight the main three asbestos diseases. Mesothelioma Mesothelioma [...]

On the 23rd of October 2023, the European Union (EU) Council finalised its directive step to protect workers from asbestos-related health risks, adopting a new directive that steps up protections and improves early detection of asbestos fibres. Under the new legislation, member states have two years to update their national legislation, incorporating all provisions of the directive – excluding the introduction of measuring using electron microscopy, for which they have six years to implement. As part of the update, the occupational exposure limit has been reduced ten times in value from 0.1 asbestos fibres per cubic centimetre (cm³) to 0.01 fibres [...]

In a joint letter from a coalition of 27 trade unions, all major political parties were called to commit to the removal of all asbestos materials within 40 years. The letter states that "Asbestos is one of the great workplace tragedies of modern times and it is a national disgrace that Britain has one of the highest mesothelioma mortality rates in the world." Since the proposal, the government has refused to commit to the proposed deadline, which was initially brought by MPs on the Work and Pensions Committee in 2022, saying that there is no clear evidence it would improve health [...]

Mesothelioma UK recently funded the MINNOW study, a study dedicated to understanding the emotional and psychological impact of mesothelioma on its sufferers and their loved ones. The primary focus of the study was to gain valuable insight into the well-being and mental health effects of living with mesothelioma, both for the patient and their informal caregiver(s). In addition, the strategies that they employ to best manage their mental health were investigated whilst considering which strategies are most effective. Conducted at the Mesothelioma UK Research Centre at the University of Sheffield, the 18-month-long study encompassed a survey completed by 96 participants. It included [...]

Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), the lightweight and low-cost concrete utilised in roofing and wall construction in many civil buildings, was recently found to be at risk of collapse in many UK schools due to its estimated 30-year life span. Emergency repair work is required for more than 150 UK schools; however, this may be subject to delay since the use of RAAC between the 1950s and 1990s was often in conjunction with asbestos. According to National Education General Secretary Daniel Keeble, in a recent interview with Sky, the risks to school children are ‘high’ when asbestos exposure and RAAC are [...]

Although asbestos use has been banned in the UK since 1999, the remnants of the substance continue to kill 5000 people across England and Wales each year. This week, Tory MP Jane Hunt chaired a parliamentary debate discussing asbestos in the workplace. In an interview with Sky News, Hunt said; "First of all, I'd like a register of all types of buildings throughout the UK that have asbestos. "And then the second thing - let's set a timetable to get rid of this stuff out of homes and out of businesses and out of public buildings across the whole of the [...]

One of the many cruel features of asbestos disease, is that its victims are usually of advanced years. The period between an asbestos victim getting exposed to asbestos, and starting to show symptoms, is a long one – anything from fifteen years to as many as fifty. This period is called ‘the latency period’. Therefore, of the roughly 5000 or so deaths from asbestos disease that happen every year, most involve asbestos victims in their seventies or older. Cancer Research carried out a study a few years ago which revealed that six in ten deaths from mesothelioma (a form of cancer [...]

Every year, asbestos disease still kills many people in the UK. The absolute ban on the import and use of asbestos came into force in 1999. Yet, recent HSE statistics reveal that over 5000 deaths from asbestos-related illnesses still happen every year. There is still a worrying amount of asbestos around. It is present in some homes built before 2000 and in schools, hospitals, and other public buildings. However, the leading cause by far of the 5000 plus deaths a year from asbestos disease is historical exposure to asbestos in the workplace. In factories, steelworks, railway engineering sheds, docks, and other [...]