On Tuesday, December 18th, 2007 Greg Hunter did a report on current asbestos concerns on the CNN Morning Show.

For those of you that missed the broadcast you can find additional information on the CNN Morning Show webpage: http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/american.morning/index.html (right side of page about half way down in Greg Hunter's "Looking Out for You" section)

You can also view the video on the CNN webpage: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2007/12/18/hunter.asbestos.in.products.cnn?iref=videosearch

Medical experts in New Delhi, India warned last week of the dangers associated with Canada's export of chrysotile asbestos to developing countries. In an article published in the December 14th edition of the Winnipeg Free Press, Dr. T.K. Joshi, head of India's occupational and environmental department, estimated that at least 100,000 factory workers and millions of constructions workers across India inhale chrysotile asbestos fibers every day. They do not wear masks or other protective gear and are generally too poor or uneducated to demand better working conditions from their employers.

Canada exports approximately 200,000 tons of asbestos per year to developing countres. India is one of 65 countries that import chrysotile asbestos from Canada. Canadian chrysotile accounts for one-third of all the asbestos in India. The rest is imported from Zimbabwe, Russia and Kazakhstan. The imported asbestos is used to make everything from concrete water pipes to metal roofing, with exports increasing in recent years due to India's construction boom. According to Dr. Joshi, very few Indian doctors are aware of the signs and symptoms of asbestos lung diseases like asbestosis and mesothelioma which is why so many cases go undetected and undocumented. Fewer than 30 workers have received compensation for asbestos-related health problems in the last decade.

In an effort to stop the spread of asbestos disease in developing countries, Joshi recently met with about 75 doctors from across India at a three-day seminar to discuss occupational health concerns like asbestos and mesothelioma, and to educate doctors about these diseases, as well as to pressure both the Indian and Canadian governments to ban the deadly material. Worldwide, about 100,000 people die each year from mesothelioma.

Vinflunine, also known as Javlor, is a drug which is being studied in the treatment of bladder cancer, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, as well as other types of cancer, including mesothelioma. The results of a recent vinflunine study reported in the October 20th issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology (J Clin Oncol 2007; 25:4751-56), showed encouraging response and survival rates in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. In a phase II study of first-line vinflunine therapy, researchers measured the overall response rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival of 67 patients with pleural mesothelioma. The median progression-free survival rate of study participants was 3.2 months, the median overall survival rate was 10.8 months and the 1-year survival rate was 36.9%. The vinflunine was generally well tolerated; only 10% of cycles were delayed due to hematologic toxicity, non-study-drug-related adverse event, or other reasons. Based on the results of the study, the authors suggested that vinflunine be further evaluated in malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Out of pocket medical expenses often become a large concern of patients receiving treatment for a life threatening illness such as Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. Medication co-pays and expenses are one of these concerns. I've included a few websites that may be helpful in finding medications at a reduced cost.

www.needymeds.com - provides contact information and links to a variety of programs, lists medications by generic and brand name, can also search by company, user friendly site

www.healthwellfoundation.org - non-profit organization that provides assistance in obtaining medications associated with specific diseases (check list - as list is subject to change or contact them for specific questions)

Also, consider speaking with your doctor's office, social worker, or financial services at your local hospital; they are often knowledgeable regarding local resources and programs.

Medicare can be a challenging system to navigate and also an important resource. Two places to look for help with Medicare concerns are:

Medicare Rights Center - Consumer Hotline #1-800-333-4114

Medicare Advocacy Project (for assistance with appeals) #1-800-323-2205

Also, many states have programs to assist with insurance questions and issues. For example, Massachusetts has a program called SHINE (Serving the Health Information Needs of Elders) #1-800-243-4636. Contact your local Agency on Aging to find out about resources in your area.