For Immediate Release: July 20, 2011
ADAO Applauds University of Occupational and Environmental Health of Japan, for Their Accepted Paper in the Prestigious Bulletin of the WHO
Paper Reports Mesothelioma Deaths Increased Twofold in 15 Years
Redondo Beach, CA … July 20, 2011 — The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO,) which combines education, advocacy, and community to provide a unified voice for asbestos victims, today announced its praise for a groundbreaking paper accepted by the World Health Organization (WHO) from the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, that reveals a twofold increase in mesothelioma deaths in 15 years. The paper entitled ‘Global mesothelioma deaths reported to the World Health Organization between 1994 and 2008’ was recently accepted by the Bulletin of the WHO and published online (http://www.who.int/bulletin/online_first/11-086678.pdf).
According to first author Dr. Vanya Delgermaa, Research Associate, Department of Environmental Epidemiology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan: “The overall mortality rates of reported mesothelioma were less than 10 deaths per million indicating that the disease is still rare. However, age-specific mortality rates increased steeply with age, to exceed 100 per million (1 per 10,000 subjects) in elderly males. More importantly, mortality rates increased significantly over time when a log-linear trend in age-adjusted mortality rate was assumed. This means that mortality is rising exponentially. The calculated annual change of around 5% corresponds to a more than twofold increase during the 15-year period. We discussed that this should be a combined effect of improved disease recognition and a real increase in disease incidence.”
“Dr. Ken Takahashi (corresponding senior author) and his team at the University of Occupational and Environmental Health in Japan deserve significant credit for bringing these new asbestos disease findings to light,’” explained Linda Reinstein, President/CEO and Co-founder of ADAO. “The acceptance of the article by the WHO journal demonstrating that mesothelioma deaths have increased twofold between 1994 and 2008 is a strong reaffirmation that continued exposure to asbestos is creating an unfortunate rise in the number of related fatalities. We must continue to be extremely diligent about the need for a global asbestos ban once and for all.”
The World Health Organization, The Environmental Protection Agency, International Labour Organization, and U.S. Surgeon General agree: all forms of asbestos are carcinogenic and there is no safe level of asbestos exposure.
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About Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO)
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) was founded by asbestos victims and their families in 2004. ADAO seeks to give asbestos victims and concerned citizens a united voice to raise public awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure. ADAO is an independent global organization dedicated to preventing asbestos-related diseases through education, advocacy and community. ADAO’s mission includes supporting global advocacy and advancing asbestos awareness, prevention, early detection, treatment, and resources for asbestos-related disease. For more information visit www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org.
Media Contact:
Doug Larkin
Director of Communications
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO)
Phone: (202) 391-1546
doug@asbestosdiseaseawareness.org
