Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute Is Dissolving
The Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute in Los Angeles, California, will be permanently closing after more than two decades of work to develop treatments for rare cancers such as mesothelioma as well as diseases of the heart, lungs, and blood.
Since 2002, the mission of the nonprofit organization has focused on creating hope through research and education. The Pacific Mesothelioma Center, which has been a division of the PHLBI since 2012, has been working to improve the lives of mesothelioma patients by sharing information about malignant pleural mesothelioma and conducting research in hopes of finding a cure.
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Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - December 1, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Dan Palombo Source Type: news
Johnson & Johnson Considers 3rd Bankruptcy for Talc Litigation
Johnson & Johnson may be filing for bankruptcy for a third time in an attempt to address its talc liabilities, this time under a different corporate structure. The pharmaceutical giant has twice failed at “Texas Two-Step” filings to resolve mass tort litigation against it.
Roughly 51,000 lawsuits filed against Johnson & Johnson claim the company’s talc-based products caused them to develop cancer. Johnson & Johnson’s two Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings through its subsidiary, LTL Management, were both denied by a New Jersey judge who found LTL did not qualify for bankruptcy protection becau...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - November 2, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Fran Mannino Tags: Asbestos Exposure Legal Source Type: news
Philadelphia Teachers Sue Over Right to Protest Asbestos Hazards
Three educators filed a federal lawsuit against the School District of Philadelphia over their first amendment right to publicly demand answers about asbestos inside classrooms. The suit claims their rights were violated when the district allegedly punished them for a protest in 2021.
Plaintiffs include teachers Ethan Tannen and Carolyn Gray, as well as now retired educator Karen Celli. Along with 50 of their colleagues, they worked outdoors during two teacher workdays at Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School in protest of asbestos exposure risks.
School administrators allegedly told staff they would...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - October 4, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Daniel Mojica Tags: Asbestos (general) Asbestos Exposure Legal Source Type: news
Talc Researcher Asks Court to Dismiss J & J Lawsuit Against Her
A medical researcher responsible for uncovering a potential link between talc and cancer has petitioned a judge to dismiss the lawsuit pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson filed against her.
Dr. Jacqueline Moline maintains that her 2019 study linking cosmetic talc products and cancer is sound and protected by the First Amendment.
Moline has served as the plaintiffs’ expert in more than 200 cases against Johnson & Johnson, alleging the company’s talc products caused consumers to develop cancer and mesothelioma, according to Reuters.
A federal court filing in Trenton, New Jersey, states tha...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - September 22, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Arianna Delarosa Tags: Asbestos Exposure Clinical Trials/Research/Emerging Treatments Legal Source Type: news
EPA Implements Stricter Regulations for Asbestos Industry
Asbestos manufacturers and processors are now subject to heightened regulations following completion of the final reporting rule under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxic Substances Control Act.
On July 6, the EPA mandated reporting and record-keeping obligations for companies that manufacture, import or process asbestos and asbestos-containing products.
“We know that exposure to asbestos causes cancer and other serious health problems that still result in thousands of people dying every year, and today we’re continuing our work to protect people from this dangerous chemical,” said Michal Freedho...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - September 21, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Arianna Delarosa Source Type: news
Trial Shows Keytruda With Chemotherapy Superior to Chemo Alone
Results of a new phase 3 clinical trial published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology indicate that a chemoimmunotherapy regimen combining chemotherapy with immunotherapy drugs improves patient survival more than chemotherapy alone for pleural mesothelioma.
Study researchers used pembrolizumab (Keytruda) alongside platinum and pemetrexed chemotherapy. Christina S. Baik, MD, MPH, reviewed the phase 3 trial results during the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s 2023 Best of ASCO Seattle annual meeting.
The overall response rate for patients receiving Keytruda with chemotherapy was 63% compared to 40% for th...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - September 13, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Fran Mannino Tags: Chemotherapy/Chemo drugs Immunotherapy Mesothelioma Treatment Source Type: news
Firefighters Union Advocates for Total U.S. Asbestos Ban
A representative of the International Association of Fire Fighters appeared before a congressional subcommittee recently to push for a total ban of asbestos in the United States. The IAFF represents thousands of firefighters in the U.S. and Canada.
The labor union is supporting the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2023, which would amend the federal Toxic Substances Control Act. The bill is named for Reinstein, who died in 2006 from mesothelioma after he was exposed to asbestos.
If passed, the legislation would prohibit the use and importation of all six types of asbestos. More than 70 countries have alr...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - September 12, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Fran Mannino Tags: Asbestos (general) Asbestos Exposure Awareness/Advocacy Source Type: news
Legislation Will Empower FDA to Address Asbestos in Makeup
This reporting is mandatory within 15 business days of the adverse event. The FDA will also have access to adverse event reports during an inspection. The process for submitting mandatory adverse events for cosmetics is being developed.
Facilities: Manufacturers and processors must now register their facilities with the FDA and renew registration every two years. A facility registration may be suspended if the FDA determines products made or processed there could cause adverse health consequences.
Ingredients: Cosmetic products must be listed with the FDA and include a list of ingredients updated annually.
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Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - September 6, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Fran Mannino Tags: Asbestos Exposure Legal Source Type: news
Study Finds Link Between Asbestos Exposure and Autoimmune Conditions
Asbestos is widely known as an occupational hazard, but emerging evidence suggests that prolonged exposure to environmental asbestos could lead to severe autoimmune conditions, according to a study by Montana State University researchers.
Microbiology and immunology research associate Dr. Jean Pfau and a team of researchers discovered the connection to a specific type of asbestos found near the once badly contaminated town of Libby, Montana, and a novel autoimmune disease. The autoimmune condition is associated with collagen thickening of the serum-producing membranes surrounding the lungs.
Pfau, chairperson for the ...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - August 31, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Fran Mannino Tags: Asbestos Exposure Clinical Trials/Research/Emerging Treatments Source Type: news
Toxic Ash Threatens Health During Maui Lahaina Wildfire Cleanup
Health officials are warning Maui residents to exercise caution during cleanup following deadly wildfires as ash and debris may be filled with toxic substances, including asbestos, arsenic and lead.
The aftermath of the Aug. 8 fire on the Hawaiian island has left a hazardous trail of pollutants and destruction after it decimated the historical coastal port city of Lahaina on Maui’s west coast.
“For generations, Lahaina’s beauty, culture and rich history drew artists, musicians and visitors from around the world,” said Jaime Kanani Green, wife of Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, during an emotional livestream...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - August 30, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Arianna Delarosa Tags: Asbestos Exposure Mesothelioma Source Type: news
Libby Clinic Files for Bankruptcy After Asbestos Claims Ruling
The Center for Asbestos Related Disease in Libby, Montana, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The decision comes after a jury ruled in June that CARD had submitted 337 false asbestos claims, forcing the clinic to pay nearly $6 million in penalties and damages.
BNSF Railway filed the lawsuit against CARD under the federal False Claims Act. The act allows private parties to file a lawsuit on the federal government’s behalf. The suit accuses the clinic of failing to get outside confirmation that hundreds of patients had an asbestos-related illness.
The railroad company, owned by billionaire Warren B...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - August 28, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Fran Mannino Tags: Asbestos Exposure Legal Treatment Source Type: news
Johnson & Johnson Subsidiary ’s Talc Bankruptcy Denied Again
A U.S. judge denied a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary’s bankruptcy filing for a second time this year, hindering the company’s effort to resolve tens of thousands of talc-related lawsuits.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Michael Kaplan ruled that LTL Management, the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, was not in “financial distress” and dismissed the filing. The ruling is the second time Kaplan has denied LTL’s bankruptcy bid for this reason.
“In sum, this Court smells smoke, but does not see the fire,” Kaplan wrote in the denial. “Therefore, the emphasis on certainty and immediacy of financial d...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - August 18, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Daniel Mojica Tags: Asbestos Exposure Legal Source Type: news
Mesothelioma Specialty Centers Lead U.S. News Best Hospitals Rankings
U.S. News & World Report has named University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center the Best Hospital for Cancer for the ninth year in a row in its annual rankings.
The Houston-based hospital is followed by Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York; Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota; UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles and Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center in Boston. The hospitals all landed in the top five last year; however, UCLA rose one spot to No. 4 and Dana Farber dropped to No. 5 this year. The 2023-2024 rankings were released Aug. 1.
MD Anderson has been ranked in the No. 1 or No. 2 spot for cancer care ev...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - August 10, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Michelle Whitmer Tags: Cancer Center Treatment Source Type: news
Asbestos Disease Clinic in Libby, Montana, Must Pay $6M for False Claims
An acclaimed health clinic in a small Montana mining town known for treating asbestos patients has been ordered to pay almost $6 million in penalties and damages.
The Center for Asbestos Related Disease clinic, known as CARD, faced a federal False Claims Act case filed by BNSF Railway in 2019. In June a jury found the clinic filed 337 false claims for patients who received Medicare and other benefits that they were not qualified to accept.
U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen wrote in a July 18 order that the clinic demonstrated “a reckless disregard for proper medical procedure and the legal requirements of govern...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - August 10, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Daniel Mojica Tags: Asbestos (general) Legal Source Type: news
Mesothelioma Immunotherapy Receives Orphan Drug Designation
A novel therapy for mesothelioma has been given orphan drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Avenge Bio, a biotechnology company working on a new treatment platform for immunotherapy, announced it was granted the designation for its drug AVB-001 in June. It is currently enrolling patients in ongoing phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer, primary peritoneal mesothelioma and fallopian tube cancer.
AVB-001 is a new treatment being developed by Avenge Bio using its LOCOcyte immunotherapy platform to treat solid tumors. It’s a first-in-human, si...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - August 9, 2023 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Lynette Zilio Tags: Clinical Trials/Research/Emerging Treatments Source Type: news
