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Exposure science will not increase protection of workers from asbestos-caused diseases: NIOSH fails to provide needed public health action and leadership

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 21, pages 114–115 (2011)Cite this article

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The asbestos cancer pandemic could have been curtailed at a much earlier stage if the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) had responded early and responsibly (LaDou, 2004; ILO, 2006; WHO, 2006).

The US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), on the other hand, was early to recognize the importance of the asbestos epidemic, and conducted or funded many of the studies that led to international recognition of the dimensions of the problem (Dement et al., 1983; Dement, 1991; Stayner et al., 1997) In 1976, NIOSH became the first US government agency to call for an industry-wide ban on asbestos and asbestos products. NIOSH stated in the 1976 Revised Criteria for a Recommended Asbestos Standard “…only a ban can assure protection against carcinogenic effects of asbestos…” (NIOSH, 1976). The science has not changed nor the need for a ban negated or altered since NIOSH took this position. This fact is reflected in the recent conclusions of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, “Epidemiological evidence has increasingly shown an association of all forms of asbestos (chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite) with an increased risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma” (Straif et al., 2009). The National Toxicology Program since declaring asbestos “Known to be a human carcinogen” in their first Report on Carcinogens (1980) states “Asbestos and all commercial forms of asbestos are known to be human carcinogens based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans. Studies in humans have demonstrated that exposure to asbestos causes respiratory-tract cancer, pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma (tumors of the membranes lining the chest and abdominal cavities and surrounding internal organs), and other cancers.” (NTP RoC, 2004). The Collegium Ramazzini has continued to call for an international ban on asbestos because its export to developing countries is creating a pandemic of asbestos cancer (LaDou et al., 2010). At least 125 million people in the world are still exposed to asbestos in their work environments, whereas the world's current production of asbestos continues at an alarming rate. The asbestos cancer pandemic may take as many as 10 million lives before asbestos is banned worldwide and all exposure is brought to an end (Haynes, 2010). An international ban on the mining, manufacture, and use of asbestos is urgently needed.

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Acknowledgements

For disclosure purposes, the authors report their professional titles as follows: Richard A. Lemen, PhD, Assistant Surgeon General, USPHS (ret.), Deputy Director and Acting Director. NIOSH (ret.); Henry Anderson, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Wisconsin Division of Public Health; John C. Bailar III, MD, PhD, Professor Emeritus, University of Chicago, Scholar in Residence, The National Academies; Eula Bingham, PhD, Former Assistant Secretary, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Professor of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati; Barry Castleman, ScD, Environmental Consultant, Baltimore, MD; Arthur L. Frank, MD, PhD, Drexel University School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA; James Huff PhD, Associate Director for Chemical Carcinogenesis, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Joseph LaDou MD, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco; James Melius, MD, DrPH, NYS Laborers Health and Safety Fund; Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH, Immediate-past Chair Occupational Health and Safety Section, American Public Health Association, Anthony Robhins, MD, Former Director, NIOSH, Professor of Public Health, Tufts University School of Medicine, and Co-Editor, Journal of Public Health Policy; Daniel Thau Teitelbaum, MD, Adjunet Professor, Occupational and Environmental Health Colorado School of Public Health; Laura S. Welch, MD, Professorial Lecturer, George Washington University, School of Public Health and Health Services.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. USPHS (ret.), Canton, GA, USA

    Richard A Lemen

  2. NIOSH (ret.), Canton, GA, USA

    Richard A Lemen

  3. Wisconsin Division of Public Health, Madison, WI, USA

    Henry Anderson

  4. University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    John C Bailar

  5. The National Academies, Chicago, IL, USA

    John C Bailar

  6. Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Eula Bingham

  7. Environmental Consultant, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Barry Castleman

  8. Drexel University School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Arthur L Frank

  9. Chemical Carcinogenesis, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA

    James Huff

  10. Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Joseph Ladou

  11. NYS Laborers Health and Safety Fund, Albany, NY, USA

    James Melius

  12. Occupational Health and Safety Section, American Public Health Association, Washington, DC, USA

    Celeste Monforton

  13. Public Health, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA

    Anthony Robbins

  14. Occupational and Environmental Health, Colorado School of Public Health, Denver, CO, USA

    Daniel Thau Teitelbaum

  15. George Washington University, School of Public Health and Health Services, Washington, DC, USA. E-mail: rlemen421@yahoo.com,

    Laura S Welch

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Lemen, R., Anderson, H., Bailar, J. et al. Exposure science will not increase protection of workers from asbestos-caused diseases: NIOSH fails to provide needed public health action and leadership. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 21, 114–115 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2010.53

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