Mesothelioma Blog

The fight against mesothelioma is a global struggle. Although the first wave of mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases has struck in the United States, other industrialized countries around the world are coming to terms with the size and scope of the mesothelioma epidemic.

In the United Kingdom, mesothelioma awareness organizations are campaigning for the creation of an asbestos database. The database would contain information about the asbestos materials found in public buildings.

A recent increase in the number of mesothelioma cases found among British teachers and other public workers was one of the primary motivations that led to the cry for the establishment of the asbestos database.

In previous years, the United Kingdom saw mesothelioma victims who fit the same general lifestyle profile as mesothelioma victims in the United States: miners and skilled tradesmen who worked directly with asbestos or asbestos containing materials. Recently, the deadly cancer has begun showing up in professionals, such as teachers, health care workers and office personnel who work in public buildings. Many of these buildings were constructed before 1986, when asbestos use was largely discontinued in the United Kingdom.

In the United States, no national database for asbestos in public buildings exists. Public buildings are required to conduct a survey of building materials to determine what if any asbestos risk building occupants will face, but this information is not shared at the national level.

Critics of the United Kingdom proposal point to the costs involved in setting up an asbestos database for all public buildings. They claim that the database would be excessively expensive to design and maintain.