Incredible as it seems---since so many countries today have generally accepted the dangers of asbestos for those exposed to it---Canada's government is accused of "misusing science" by refusing to release a report on the subject. Written by a panel of scientific experts on behalf of Health Canada the report is a detailed study of the health effects of chrysotile asbestos. Why would the government delay a report of this nature? The chairman of the panel, editor of the Annals of Occupational Hygiene, accuses the government of "disguising economic and political decisions as scientific ones, using outdated or possibly one-sided evidence," according to this article from the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The article states that Canada is one of the world's largest exporters of chrysotile---exporting about 175 000 tons---worth about $112 million Canadian---to 80 nations, mostly in Asia. Because the Quebec center of mining for asbestos "creates 900 direct and 1000 indirect jobs, according to Natural Resources Canada 2006 figures." Financial gain has been the direct or indirect cause of thousands of workers developing asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma as a result of inadequate protection from exposure to asbestos on the job. When a company's revenues depend heavily on manufacturing a certain product, the focus on profit often stands in the way of decisions to protect workers from occupational hazards. In the case of mesothelioma in particular, because the damage takes so long to appear---as long as 50 years in some cases---some companies put profits above human welfare. At the time they learned about the danger, they failed to advise their much-needed workers about the danger. They failed to invest in appropriate precautions and protections. Some managers and executives convinced themselves that such far-in-the-future consequences to workers were not their concern--only the bottom line for which they were held accountable. Malignant mesothelioma, though a relatively rare lung cancer, is almost always associated with exposure to asbestos. Today courts in many parts of the world are awarding compensation to workers whose welfare was thus ignored.

A group of researchers is condemning Canada for its failure to act to protect workers in poorer countries that receive their exported asbestos. They accuse the Canadian government of protecting the asbestos industry at the risk of many lives in other countries.

If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you must of course find properly trained and educated medical professionals to help you deal with this disease. But the second most important thing you must do is consult with a mesothelioma attorney about your legal rights.

Many pipe workers who lived and worked in California during the construction boom of the 60s and 70s are at risk for contracting the aggressive and fatal cancer known as mesothelioma, especially those who worked with cement pipe for water lines.

Because the problem of rising numbers of mesothelioma victims is beginning to hit full stride—mesothelioma is an asbestos-exposure lung cancer that can take up to 50 years to show up—doctors and researchers are urging organizations to ramp up efforts to understand this deadly disease.

INTRODUCTION: Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is nearly always brought about by previous exposure to asbestos. The majority of people who develop it have inhaled asbestos particles while being employed on a job where asbestos is used, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fibre in some other way, such as by washing and cleaning the clothes of a family member who worked with or around asbestos.

The signs of Mesothelioma, a type of cancer, usually take between 20 and 50 years to develop. Unfortunately, this delay can prevent the detection of the disease and lead to misdiagnoses. The first symptoms are similar to many other illnesses, such as colds or flu, and can therefore be rejected. Other characters of mesothelioma are respiratory problems, such as pain in the chest and difficulty breathing. The three kinds of mesothelioma have slightly different symptoms.

Mesothelioma cancer has an extremely low survival rate, with an expected life expectancy of only eight to twelve months after a mesothelioma diagnosis.

Many people who discover that they have mesothelioma (a cancer that eats at the mesothelium, the protective outer lining of the organs) are understandably devastated by the news.

Mesothelioma is a serious, life threatening cancer that has a low survival rate and can be quite painful.

You or a loved one may have a history of exposure to asbestos in environments such as your home (if built before the mid-1970's) and workplace.

Mesothelioma is a cancer that is more often than not caused by exposure to asbestos.