Posted on May 6, 2013
Outraged tweets and aggravated Facebook posts are pouring in to the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) today and I am disgusted. “The Wall Street Journal” came out with their fourth in a series of articles about asbestos and mesothelioma. Unbelievably, they still focused only on litigation: Mesothelioma Doctors, Lawyers Join Hunt for Valuable Asbestos Cases on May 6, 2013.
TWEETS FROM Dionne Searcey, WSJ Reporter (@dionnesearcey)
“Chicken catchers and chicken pluckers” – the new strata of mesothelioma lawyers. Web on.wsj.com/16Kq9ro via @wsj#asbestos May 6, 2013
Cancer surgeon: “If you want to do mesothelioma research, you need the lawyers.” on.wsj.com/126Lozu via @wsj #asbestos May 6, 2013
The new asbestos is…asbestos. My story today: on.wsj.com/14LunK7 via @wsj March 11, 2013
Since the first WSJ article on March 11, an estimated 1,500 Americans have died from asbestos-related disease. Shameful – WSJ, get your game on and take a bold step towards solving the real problem. Here are the facts:
1) The United States still imports asbestos to meet manufacturing needs.
2) 10,000 Americans die every year.
3) An estimated 35 million buildings (homes, schools, businesses) contain asbestos-contaminated materials.
4) EPA and OSHA laws and regulations are violated and criminals pay small fines.
5) USA financial institutions and mutual funds hold shares in asbestos mining companies.
Think of all the lives that could have been saved if WSJ ran articles on those five issues.
“The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization does not make any medical or legal referrals.” This is posted on our website and has been our policy since our founding in 2004. ADAO Science Advisory Board member, Dr. Raja Flores is quoted in the May 6 article:
“My policy is not to take money from lawyers, period,” said Dr. Flores. “When you add financial incentive it muddies the waters. We did not take the Hippocratic oath for that.”
The victims in this story are the disregarded patients, our ADAO community, their families, and the future victims who continue to be exposed to this deadly mineral every day.
In unity,
Linda
WSJ: As Asbestos Claims Rise, So Do Worries About Fraud March 11, 2013
WSJ: Bill Would Require Details on Asbestos Payouts March 12, 2013
WSJ: With Billions at Stake, the Search For Clients Intensifies on TV, Web May 5, 2013
WSJ: Mesothelioma Doctors, Lawyers Join Hunt for Valuable Asbestos Cases May 5, 2013