Mesothelioma, Asbestos Diseases Costly for Canadians

The annual cost of asbestos-related occupational disease in Canada is estimated at $2.35 billion, according to new findings by a panel of epidemiologists, public health experts and medical professionals. Their estimate is based on direct, indirect and quality-of-life costs related to the 2,331 patients in Canada diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos-related lung cancer in 2011. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal, released the updated report in July. It followed a similar study conducted by the same group of experts in 2016. “When you look at the big picture [and] consider all the societal costs, the size of it surprises people,” lead author Dr. Emile Tompa of the Institute for Work and Health in Ontario, told Asbestos.com. “It’s eye opening. Very few studies have taken it to this level and monetized it like we have.” The Bigger Problem: Asbestos Lung Cancer The latest report includes 427 cases of mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos, which is a naturally occurring mineral once used extensively in a myriad of products. The patients in the study were those with occupational exposure or “paraoccupational exposure,” which happens when people were exposed through a family member who unknowingly brought asbestos fibers home from work. It is also known as “secondary exposure” or “secondhand exposure.” Patients with asbestosis, other asbestos d...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: asbestos ban in canada asbestos mines canada asbestosis canada canada mesothelioma Dr. Emile Tompa economic burden asbestos canada financial burden mesothelioma canada health care costs mesothelioma canada House of Commons Occupational a Source Type: news