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Designer Donna Karan's Foundation giving Manhattan hospital Beth Israel Medical Center $850,000 for year-long trial combining Eastern and Western healing methods to treat cancer patients.

Manhattan hospital Beth Israel Medical Center is teaming up with designer Donna Karan's foundation to try a combination of Eastern and Western healing methods to treat cancer patients.

Nashville, TN : The case of a young woman who contracted asbestos mesothelioma through second hand exposure made the news this September. She was exposed to ...

Nashville, TN : The case of a young woman who contracted asbestos mesothelioma through second hand exposure made the news this September. She was exposed to ...

A curious liking for asbestos

FOR more than a decade, workers in hazmat suits have been boring into the walls and ceilings of Canada?s parliament buildings to remove tonnes of asbestos insulation. This tedious and expensive work is to protect the health of lawmakers and their staff: even limited exposure to asbestos can cause lung cancer or mesothelioma, a deadlier cancer. These risks have prompted most rich countries, and many poor ones, to ban all forms of asbestos.

But they have not stopped Canada from exporting large quantities of the mineral to developing countries, especially in Asia, nor discouraged the government from paying to promote its use abroad. This is ?corporate welfare for corporate serial killers?, says Pat Martin, a former asbestos miner who is one of the few members of parliament to denounce the hypocrisy. ...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued a public health alert due to recent 32 salmonellosis poisoning cases in 12 states. The department said illness caused by Salmonella may be associated with raw, frozen, breaded and pre-browned, stuffed chicken entrees.

Vitamin C supplements may significantly reduce the effectiveness of several anti-cancer drugs by protecting the mitochondria, according to a new study published Wednesday.

A University of Texas researcher has discovered an important risk factor for pancreatic cancer that could someday possibly help prevent the disease.

NEWTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Law Offices of James Sokolove (LOJS), dedicated to providing equal access to the civil justice system, announced that its MesoRC website (

Sancuso, a five-day patch that fights nausea from cancer chemotherapy, has won federal approval in the United States. The patch is worn on the arm and delivers a widely used anti-nausea medicine, known as granisetron, through the skin.

The Pittsburgh-based company had argued that it should not be held responsible for Maryville resident Amanda Satterfield's mesothelioma, a rare cancer associated with asbestos. She died in 2005 at age...

During his approximately 8 years working at Alcoa, Doug Satterfield encountered asbestos on a daily basis. When his daughter became extremely sick with mesothelioma, she filed suit.

Amanda Satterfield 's cancer.Satterfield had mesothelioma, a rare cancer associated with asbestos. She died in 2005 at the age of 25.She originally filed suit against the company in 2003, claiming tha...

Posted on: Thursday, 14 August 2008, 15:00 CDT By JULIA HORTON MESOTHELIOMA is a rare form of cancer which in almost every case is caused by exposure to asbestos. Thousands of people have contracted ...

A cheap drug developed to prevent brittle bone disease is touted as a breakthrough in the treatment of breast cancer, British and Finnish researchers say.

Despite suffering from testicular cancer, U.S. Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau will beat all odds to swim in the 200-meter breaststroke prelims Tuesday morning in Beijing.

Newfoundland and Labrador Health Minister Ross Wiseman is attempting to avert a medical crisis in the province by meeting the demands of the resigned cervix and ovarian cancer doctors.

Methadone, an agent used to break addiction to drugs, has ability to destroy leukemia cells without harming healthy cells, a study has found.

A new drug could potentially save the lives of thousands of prostate cancer sufferers, new studies have shown, while eliminating the need for damaging chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

MONDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- Patients are being recruited for a clinical trial of a new targeted radiation and chemotherapy protocol for pleural mesothelioma, a cancer of the...

Americas Watchdog has created the most useful service for victims or family members of victims of Mesothelioma available in the US. Mesothelioma is a rare, and lethal form of cancer. Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos. The group never realized that there was no safety net for victims, to get help from the government or VA.

California researchers say they have developed molecule-sized "hypodermics" called nanoparticles that deliver drug agents to stop cancer from spreading in mice but have fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy.

Title: Chemo for Mesothelioma Offers Limited Survival Benefits Category: Health News Created: 5/16/2008 2:00:00 AM Last Editorial Review: 5/16/2008

The Mesothelioma Center within the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center is now recruiting patients for a clinical research study of a new targeted radiation and chemotherapy protocol for pleural mesothelioma, a cancer of the lung's lining that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos.

Cuban health authorities have approved the use of what is believed to be the world's first registered therapeutic lung cancer vaccine.

The Mesothelioma Center within the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center is now recruiting patients for a clinical research study of a new targeted radiation and chemotherapy protocol for pleural mesothelioma, a cancer of the lung's lining that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos.

The Asbestos Research Group, offering hope to sufferers of asbestos-related diseases, was launched at The Wesley Research Institute today.

Using laser light to destroy cancer cells has been found to be safer in treating throat cancers than surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

Women with early-stage breast cancer who were treated with the drug Zometa to prevent bone loss had a better chance that the disease would not come back, a study has found.

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy underwent a successful surgery on Monday to treat his cancerous brain tumor, doctors at Duke University Medical Center here said.

Leading international experts on the asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma, will join meso patients, caregivers, loved ones and advocates to share the latest in treatment, research and clinical trials at the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation's International Symposium on Malignant Me

Alfacell Corporation (Nasdaq: ACEL) announced that the preliminary statistical analysis of data from its confirmatory Phase IIIb clinical trial of its lead compound, ONCONASE (ranpirnase), did not meet statistical significance for the primary endpoint of survival in unresectable malignant mesothelioma (UMM).

Women who contracted mesothelioma after washing asbestos work clothes are to get compensation.

Nanotubes -- the super-small, high-strength carbon fibers increasingly being deployed as static charge conductors in computers, strengtheners in composites for auto bodies, and electrical brushes -- are potentially as dangerous as asbestos, a team of scientists warned Tuesday.

Injected into mice, nanotubes triggered the kind of cellular reaction that typically leads to the fatal cancer mesothelioma, the study, published online in the journal Nature, found. The scientists found that only longer strands of nanofibers have that effect and further research on the impact of inhaling nanotubes is called for, the scientists said.

The risk of inhaling nanotubes is so great that the government needs to aggressively do follow-up tests and issue guidance for factory workers, the scientists said. Indeed, nanotubes are likely a latter-day version of asbestos -- a mineral with long, thin fibrous crystals that was widely used in industry and which causes mesothelioma. The cost of asbestos litigation is currently estimated at $250 billion.

'Assume the Worst'

"The problem of asbestos was caused when it was released into the air, if it was handled inappropriately or incorrectly," said Andrew Maynard, chief science adviser to the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies and one of the study's authors. "Carbon nanotubes could do the same."

In light of this study, "we should assume the worst," Maynard said, until further research provides grounds to "relax that point of view."

The good news is that we have a solid understanding of the dangers relatively early in the industrialization of nanotubes, said study contributor Anthony Seaton of the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Edinburgh, Scotland. "In a sense, we are forewarned and forearmed now with respect to nanotubes," he said. "We know that some of them probably have the potential to cause mesothelioma. So those sorts of materials need to be handled very carefully."

While scientists are warning that nanotube workers should...

Concerns about the use of nanotechnology in food have been around for some time. Now there's evidence that nanotechnology fibres could lead to mesothelioma. The head of the Australian Cancer Council has told The World Today there should be standards for the marketing of nanotechnology products.

Study shows CNTs behave like asbestos at the mesothelium, confirming that they can cause mesothelioma

For mesothelioma patients, the addition of chemotherapy to the usualactive symptom control (ASC) does not appear to improve survival orquality of life, according to an article released on May 16, 2008 in TheLancet. Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is cancer of the mesothelium, theprotective layer that covers the lungs.

Alfacell Corporation (Nasdaq: ACEL) announced that it has confirmed that 316 evaluable events (patient deaths) have occurred in the confirmatory Phase IIIb clinical trial of its lead compound, ONCONASE (ranpirnase), for the treatment of patients with unresectable malignant mesothelioma (UMM).

Current statistics show 2,000-3,000 people are diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma in the U.S. each year, and 10,000 Americans die from all asbestos-related diseases, according to statistics compiled by the Environmental Working Group. Mesothelioma was not tracked as a specific cause of death by federal health officials until 1999, so actual totals for mesothelioma may be much higher.

Posted on: Wednesday, 26 March 2008, 03:00 CDT Current statistics show 2,000-3,000 people are diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma in the U.S. each year, and 10,000 Americans die from all as...

Posted on: Wednesday, 26 March 2008, 03:00 CDT Current statistics show 2,000-3,000 people are diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma in the U.S. each year, and 10,000 Americans die from all as...

Mesothelioma lawsuit ; family members' 'take home' asbestos fibers and 50-year-old victim's own college summer employment at GM facilities in Bloomfield and Englewood, New Jersey caused cancer that killed rising-star advertising executive, according to mesothelioma lawyers Levy Phillips & Konigsberg, LLP. (PRWeb Mar 16, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/Mesothelioma/lawyers/prweb774704.htm

Scientists have established a mouse model for human malignant mesothelioma (MM) that will provide valuable insight into cancer development and progression along with new directions for design of therapeutic strategies.

Scientists have established a mouse model for human malignant mesothelioma (MM) that will provide valuable insight into cancer development and progression along with new directions for design of therapeutic strategies.

Scientists have established a mouse model for human malignant mesothelioma (MM) that will provide valuable insight into cancer development and progression along with new directions for design of therapeutic strategies. The research, published by Cell Press in the March issue of Cancer Cell, may eventually lead to a substantially improved outlook for patients with this devastating disease.

Scientists have established a mouse model for human malignant mesothelioma (MM) that will provide valuable insight into cancer development and progression along with new directions for design of therapeutic strategies. The research, published by Cell Press in the March issue of Cancer Cell, may eventually lead to a substantially improved outlook for patients with this devastating disease.

A Massachusetts scientists has received more than $1 million in grant to fund his research on the use of Salmonella bacteria to kill cancer tumor. Neil Forbes, an assistant professor in the chemical engineering department of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, needs further research on the technique that he successfully tested in laboratory mice with cancer. In his experiments, a combination of Salmonella bacteria and radiation therapies prolonged the lives of mice beyond 30 days.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the Genentech drug Avastin for women with advanced breast cancer. By doing so, the FDA went against the recommendation of its advisory panel that judged the effectiveness of Avastin.

Alfacell Corporation (Nasdaq: ACEL) announced that in vitro and in vivo data presented at the 5th Cancer Drug Research & Development conference show the genes affected and biological pathways impacted by ONCONASE stimulated intracellular events as revealed by expression profiling of human malignant mesothelioma cell lines.

Alfacell Corporation (Nasdaq: ACEL) announced that in vitro and in vivo data presented at the 5th Cancer Drug Research & Development conference show the genes affected and biological pathways impacted by ONCONASE stimulated intracellular events as revealed by expression profiling of human malignant mesothelioma cell lines.

Genentech's anti-cancer drug Avastin (bevacizumab), when combined with standard chemotherapy, was proven to slow the progression of breast cancer in a new clinical trial conducted by Roche. Results revealed that patients who received Avastin in combination with chemotherapy had a longer time period before their cancer progressed as compared to patients who simply had chemotherapy.

Researchers have found that ovarian cancer can mutate and can develop a mechanism to survive chemotherapy drugs and rebound. Ovarian cancer, dubbed as "silent killer" because of the number deaths attributed to the disease, is a major killer among women. Two studies that was published online by the British Journal Nature has shown that ovarian tumors among women with cancer-causing gene called BRCA2, initially respond to treatment using platinum-based drugs like cisplatin and carboplatin.

"Acne" is the most popular search query on search engine FyberSearch in 2007. This is followed by "mp3," "airfare," "cellphones," and "hunting." Also included in its list of 23 most searched words is "mesothelioma," a lung tumor caused by exposure to asbestos.

"Acne" is the most popular search query on search engine FyberSearch in 2007. This is followed by "mp3," "airfare," "cellphones," and "hunting." Also included in its list of 23 most searched words is "mesothelioma," a lung tumor caused by exposure to asbestos.

Bayer AG, Germany's largest pharmaceutical company, will withdraw the liquid formulation of the Leukine cancer drug in the U.S. Bayer decided to pull out the cancer drug after meeting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on reports of the its side effects including fainting.

Alfacell Corporation has entered into a distribution agreement with BL&H for the commercialization of Onconase in South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Onconase is currently being evaluated as a treatment for unresectable malignant mesothelioma in a confirmatory Phase IIIb clinical trial.

Alfacell Corporation has entered into a distribution agreement with BL&H for the commercialization of Onconase in South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Onconase is currently being evaluated as a treatment for unresectable malignant mesothelioma in a confirmatory Phase IIIb clinical trial.

Scientists have successfully identified the cells responsible for the onset of leukemia, considered to be the most common form of child cancer, through the help of 4-year old twins, one of which was diagnosed and is in remission for the disease. According to the scientists, a set of pre-leukemic cells was present in 4-year old twins Olivia and Isabella Murphy. The cells were possibly obtained via a genetic mutation as early as their months inside their mother's womb. As the twins grew, the cells were found to have remained dormant in Isabella, who is healthy, but were triggered in Olivia, who has been diagnosed with the blood cancer.

(NewsTarget) The FDA, emboldened by its transformation into a drug company, has embarked upon an anti-American plan of interfering with business and intentionally eliminating various dietary supplement companies from the market. The FDA announcement came on Friday, June 22, 2007 under the guise of a final rule for dietary supplement good manufacturing practices (CGMPs). Within this 800 page rule the FDA states, "We find that this final rule will have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities... Establishments with above average costs, and even establishments with average costs, could be hard pressed to continue to operate. Some of these may decide it is too costly and either change product lines or go out of business... 140 very small [less than 20 employees] and 32 small dietary supplement manufacturers [less than 500 employees] will be at risk of going out of business... costs per establishment are proportionally higher for very small than for large establishments... The regulatory costs of this final rule will also discourage new small businesses from entering the industry." (http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Elrd/fr07625a.html) This FDA rule will directly raise the price of dietary supplements for all consumers. The FDA acknowledges this and says "We expect that the majority of these costs will be borne by consumers of dietary supplements, who will likely respond to the increase in prices by reducing consumption." Thus, the FDA is intentionally seeking to shrink the size of the dietary supplement industry and reduce the influence of safe and effective options to improve the dreadful trend in the health of Americans. The goal is to leave toxic drugs as the primary health option. Independent analysis of this FDA rule has placed cost of compliance at 10 fold what the FDA estimates with as many as 50% of small companies unable to comply. The gutless cowards of Congress, a majority of whom are on the Big Pharma payroll or will be on it once they leave Congress, have delegated their lawmaking powers granted by the U.S. Constitution to a bunch of Big Pharma-friendly unelected bureaucrats at the FDA, who are in turn using this power to undermine free commerce and help Big Pharma eliminate competition from the market. This is the behavior of a government in tyranny, inviting a revolution by the people. It is noteworthy that fascist governments of the past have eliminated health freedom and health options as a necessary condition to enslave and brainwash a population (http://www.fee.org/publications/the-freeman/article.asp?aid=2108&print_view=true) . Congress has delegated its responsibility to the people to such an extent that over half the laws in this country are now concocted by unelected bureaucrats with vested interests. A Vehicle for Unprecedented Harassment Any company that can afford to comply with the costs and regulations of this new FDA rule can be targeted and eliminated at will by the FDA. In essence, the FDA is seeking to make the dietary supplement industry document every phase of production, including expensive testing at multiple points in the production process. Massive record keeping will be required, including all customer complaints and returns for any reason! This is utterly draconian and an unnecessary interference and burden to free commerce. It is completely Anti-American. No doubt, the FDA will impose user fees as an additional charge so that FDA agents will have the funding required to enforce the regulations. Under the new rule any flaw in bookkeeping can result in a company's products being declared adulterated, allowing the FDA to remove them from the market even though nothing is wrong with them! A company can then be forced out of business because they won't be able to sell any products to raise the money to comply. The rules are so complex and vague that the FDA can selectively target any company it chooses, even those attempting to comply in good faith. The FDA is doing this under the pretense of improved consumer safety. Consumer safety could readily be guaranteed by simply having all companies test their final products for purity and potency. Instead of this simple approach the FDA has gone to the extreme of burdening the dietary supplement industry with regulations in excess of the drug industry. Supplements are foods, not drugs. The food industry couldn't begin to comply with these FDA rules, even though food contamination is far more dangerous to health than dietary supplements. The FDA intends to phase this rule in over the next three years. This means that within five years half the industry and many of the health options individuals rely on will either be gone or significantly more expensive. Even more chilling is that forces within the dietary supplement industry itself are in no small part responsible for this FDA final rule. Trade Groups and their Big Companies Turn on America The Natural Products Association (formerly the National Nutritional Food Association , NNFA) and the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) have been instrumental in forcing these drug-like rules on dietary supplements. These globalist organizations are selling out America, destroying American jobs, undermining the U.S. Constitution, and working in conjunction with pharmaceutical companies to usher in Codex and the New World Order. Consumers of dietary supplements should learn who these companies are before buying their products and helping to inadvertently fund the destruction of health freedom in this country. When DSHEA was passed in 1994 part of that law required the FDA to establish current good manufacturing practices (CGMPs) for the dietary supplement industry. During a period of FDA outreach to the industry the FDA was surprised to learn that CRN and NPA were in favor of drug-like CGMPs for the dietary supplement industry. These trade groups, working closely with Senators Orin Hatch (R-UT) and Tom Harkin (D-IA), have intentionally taken the supplement industry down a slippery slope. It is noteworthy that Hatch takes in more money from Big Pharma than he does from dietary supplement companies. Not only is Hatch a big supporter of the Medicare Part D drug rip off of Americans he has saved Big Pharma billions by protecting them from generic competition, as he is currently attempting to do with his legislation for new biologic drugs. Hatch also has a son working for NPA and another son that lobbies for NPA and the dietary supplement industry. When Hatch leaves the Senate he will be first in line for a six or seven figure Big Pharma salary. The CRN has been taken over by multinational drug and food companies. Key players are the nutritional divisions of Bayer, BASF, Cargill, Monsanto, Wyeth, and Archer Daniels Midland (http://www.crnusa.org/who_omc.html). Nutrition companies that participate are in most cases owned by pharmaceutical companies, heavily invested in pharmaceutical companies, or jockeying for position in the international market as part of the New World Order. Key names include Mannatech, Shacklee, Herbalife, GNLD International, The Vitamin Shoppe, and GNC. These companies are glad to eliminate competition from small companies and start up ventures. Carrying on the general theme of Big Pharma ownership and a globalist agenda are the companies that control the NPA. One need only look at the new NPA China board to understand who these key players are (http://www.naturalproductsassoc.org/site/PageServer?pagename=abt_China) . Jarrow Formulas, Now Foods, GNC, and Herbalife top the list. At the end of 2006 Jarrow and Now helped lead the charge with Senators Hatch and Harkin to burden the dietary supplement industry with bizarre Adverse Event Reporting legislation (AER) which insisted that dietary supplement companies keep extensive records on any type of consumer complaint. Aspects of this AER law are now implemented in the FDA final rule on CGMPs. Of course, NPA was quick to offer expensive training to its members to indoctrinate them into how to comply with the rules that NPA, working on behalf of the FDA, just forced on its own members. Are their member companies really this stupid? Or are they all working together? I would recommend that any NPA member that believes itself to be a true American company that values our constitution immediately withdraw from NPA membership , consumers will be looking to see who you are (http://www.naturalproductsassoc.org/site/PageServer?pagename=abt_Board) . The picture is now crystal clear for any person who cares to look. Numerous dietary supplement companies are anti-American and actively selling out our country and our constitution, working hand-in-glove with the FDA and Big Pharma. The majority of such companies can be found as members of CRN and NPA. It will be up to the American consumer to save the dietary industry from itself and preserve their own access to safe and effective natural health remedies. This is a relatively simple task. Quit buying products from or quit being a distributor in these fascist organizations. Support the small companies that are the backbone of America, otherwise they will soon be extinct. Update on S.1082 Threat to Dietary Supplements Many of you have been following the extreme threat to dietary supplements posed by S.1082 (http://www.wellnessresources.com/health_freedom.php) . Similar legislation has now cleared the House Energy and Commerce Committee and is headed for the floor of the House in the next week or two. The House version of this bill now contains the "food and food ingredients" language that the FDA can use to apply drug-related risk/benefit analysis to dietary supplements and have them removed from the market at their whim. It is noteworthy that both CRN and NPA have posted on their websites information stating that S.1082 is not a threat to dietary supplements. Both organizations are flat out wrong. They cite a colloquy by Hatch, Harkin, Kennedy, and Enzi as their evidence. This colloquy was a direct result of our grassroots campaign to alert the American consumer to this major threat. In no way does this colloquy protect dietary supplements. Until the language in the bill is changed the threat exists and is very real. CRN and NPA also tell their members that the Codex initiative to scare consumers into thinking that dietary supplements are unsafe above minuscule amounts and need to be regulated by international laws is also no big deal. It is clear that CRN and NPA, again working hand-in-glove with the FDA, are a major part of the problem and are actively engaged in forwarding the globalist agenda of the New World Order. While pretending to represent the dietary supplement industry these organizations are in fact shooting the industry in the back and undermining health options for Americans. The FDA is Out of Control The FDA is a tyrannical organization that is now emboldened and completely out of control. It is not surprising that the FDA is seeking to eliminate competition to Big Pharma, they have been doing that for much of the past century. What is surprising is that they are openly stating in their final rule a plan that directly eliminates small businesses from existence. This fascist organization believes itself to be above the rule of law and is actively working against America and the rights of Americans (http://www.emord.com/events/speeches/fda_violation.htm) . It must be stopped. About the author Byron J. Richards, Founder/Director of Wellness Resources (www.wellnessresources.com), is a Board-Certified Clinical Nutritionist, a charter professional member of the International and American Associations of Clinical Nutritionists (IAACN) since 1991. He is a nationally-renowned health expert, radio personality, and educator. He is the creator and pioneer of The Leptin Diethttp://www.NewsTarget.com/022499.htmlTue, 15 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PDTSpotlighting Asbestos: The Death of a Compensation Campaigner (NewsTarget) Bernie Banton, an Australian noted for his persistent effort in getting compensation for sufferers of asbestos related disease, died on the 27th of November of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lung caused by exposure to asbestos, which is a fibre found in insulation and building materials amongst other products.brbrHis efforts have ensured that asbestos, a highly toxic substance, remained in the public arena promoting awareness about its dangers. Bernie worked for James Hardie and Coy along with 3 brothers. One brother died in 2001 and another has a less serious asbestos related disease.brbrAsbestos is a silicate mineral found naturally in the environment. The mineral can be separated into very small fibres. As these fibres are strong, and resistant to heat, asbestos has been used in a range of products in various industries: industrial, scientific, home and commercial buildings.brbrThe most common use of asbestos is in insulation , to contain heat. It is used in covering pipes, insulating cement, packing materials, vinyl floor tiles, adhesives, roofing products, and electrical wire, see (www.mesothelioma-facts.com).brbrTons of asbestos were used in ship building during WW2; insulating pipes, boilers, engines and turbines. According to www.mesothelioma-facts.com, in the area around the ship building centre at Hampton Roads in the US, mesothelioma is at 7 times the national average.brbrWikipedia reports that the ancient Greeks noticed the hazards of asbestos after slaves involved in weaving asbestos into cloth had incurred damaged lungs. In the 1900s, the health authorities were aware of the dangers. However, workers were either not notified of the dangers or only notified about some of the dangers.brbrThe fibres of asbestos are small and are breathed into the lungs where they lodge into small airways and air sacs, irritating and inflaming the area. In asbestosis, the airways become so inflamed and scarred that breathing is difficult or becomes impossible. It can take around 10 years to develop and there is no cure.brbrMesothelioma can develop from only a small exposure to asbestos and may take a long time to develop, 20-50 years, according to documents on the ABC site (http://www.abc.net.au/health/library/stories/2004/04/29/1828906.htm). There is no effective cure for the disease.brbrHome renovators have also been exposed to asbestos by engaging in the cutting and sanding of building materials in homes built between 1945 and 1980. This was the time when fibre containing asbestos was used to build houses.brbrIt is usually safe to live with buildings made of asbestos. The problem is when the asbestos fibres are exposed through cutting, sawing or sanding the material.brbrAsbestos is banned in Australia and the European Union. In the US some asbestos products are banned and moves are underway to ban it completely. The truly tragic fact is that companies are still sending asbestos containing products to developing countries where there is little or no legislation controlling its use.brbrThis unethical and immoral practice, the unloading of toxic substances onto unsuspecting or uncaring countries, should be illegal. The health and well-being of people and the environment are more important than corporate earnings.brbrFor news updates from around the world, as well as resources on asbestos, see (http://ibasecretariat.org/). This site also has a listing of support groups in various countries.BRBRbAbout the author/bbrLynn Berry loves good food and cooking and is passionate about nutrition and natural health care. She has a website promoting healthy eating at www.low-calorie-vegetarian-recipe.com. http://www.NewsTarget.com/022498.htmlTue, 15 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PDTGolden Path Alchemy Launches Line of Truly Natural Botanical Skin Care Products Containing Zero Chemical Additives(NewsTarget) In my continued search for healthful skin care products, I'm usually disappointed by products that claim to be "natural" or "herbal." Nearly everything on the market today -- including the skin care products sold at "natural" retailers like Whole Foods and Wild Oats -- is loaded with chemical additives and harmful ingredients. It's rare to find a company that makes genuinely healthful products for skin care. Pangea Organics (www.PangeaOrganics.com) is one such company that I've recommended for some time, and I recently found a new company from California that takes skin care products to a whole new medicinal level: Their products use herbs from the world of Chinese Medicine to enhance health while nourishing the skin.brbrThe company is called Golden Path Alchemy (www.GoldenPathAlchemy.com), and it's a very small company that still makes everything by hand. I've reviewed their products and highly recommend them to anyone wanting truly healthful skin care products, without all the chemical garbage normally found in many so-called "natural" skin care products. They don't have a shopping cart on their website, so you'll have to call or e-mail them directly to order. Contact details are listed on their website: www.GoldenPathAlchemy.combrbrI sat down with the founders of this company for a chat. What follows is the transcription:brbrbMike:/b This is Mike Adams, the Health Ranger with Newstarget.com. I am here with Ashley Beckman of Golden Path Alchemy who has a unique line of natural skin care and personal care products. This company is brand new, only three months old. Thanks for joining me today Ashley. Tell us about what you have here and why it is unique and interesting to the natural health marketplace.brbrbAshley:/b Sure, we have a whole line of botanical alchemy products. We use a blend of essential oils that are therapeutic grade certified. We use Chinese herbs, western herbs, flower essences, gem elixirs and our flower essences are mostly Indian orchids, so they have a really high frequency. All of our products can be eaten and they are food for the skin.brbrbMike:/b Can you talk a little bit about what is not in your skin care products?brbrbAshley:/b Sure, we do not use anything that is not a natural preservative. We do not use any parabens. We do not use any EDTA, anything at all. Everything that we use to preserve would be salt, sugar, honey and grapefruit seed extract.brbrbMike:/b What motivated you to create a product line that is purely natural so that you can even eat it?brbrbAshley:/b Well, a long time ago I started researching and finding out about all the toxic properties, constituents, and most of the products that I use, I did not even realize because I thought they were all natural. Then I threw everything away and I started to make a few of my own simple recipes. But since then, I got involved in flower essences and I became a student in acupuncture school. I was exposed to a lot more Chinese herbs and flower essences that I had never heard of before.brbrWe started to use those in all of our products and we really just started making things for friends, family, and ourselves. We wanted to create a line that we could market and sell.brbrbMike:/b I want to ask you a lot more about your formulation, but first, what is your website and where can people actually buy these products right now?brbrbAshley:/b It is www.GoldenPathAlchemy.com.brbrbMike:/b What specific Chinese herbs do you like the most to use in your formulations?brbrbAshley:/b We use rosebuds. We use ground up oyster shells. We use Goji berry or the lyceum bark fruit. We use frankincense and myrrh. Those are also Chinese herbs.brbrbMike:/b What kinds of things do your customers tell you that they are experiencing when they start to use your products?brbrbAshley:/b A few people yesterday were saying that it was a miracle how soft their skin became after using our Goji sugar scrub. We used it on the hands, the face. It has a high antioxidant level, and it is made with apricot kernel oil as well. Everything really moisturizes and nourishes the skin, leaving it silky smooth.brbrbMike:/b What about the issue of there being a lot of products in the marketplace right now that claim to be natural or organic? What have you found to be true in your investigations of other so-called natural products in the marketplace?brbrbMinka:/b My name is Minka Robinson and I am from Santa Barbara. I am the co-founder of Golden Path Alchemy. One of the reasons we started our company and why we started the lines is because we were so disillusioned with the natural products that were on the market.brbrIt seems like you go to Whole Foods or Wild Oats and there are all these natural products, quite an abundance, especially of facial products. You get it home, you are reading the ingredients, and there are all these parabens and chemical preservatives. It seems like almost half of the ingredients are not natural. It seems so wrong to call your products natural just because you use a few botanical ingredients.brbrbMike:/b Yes, we see that a lot in the marketplace. Something will be labeled herbal skin care or the word "herbal" will be in it and it is only one herb. It is not even the main ingredient. It is still mineral oil based stuff many of the times. I find that outrageous as well. Is this part of the motivating factor that got you moving forward with this product line?brbrbMinka:/b Well that was one of the main things because I could not find anything in the store that worked for my skin because if it was natural it seemed drying and that it would really deplete my skin of nutrients. The things that did not seem to do that were not natural so we had to start creating our own products that would preserve our skin and keep it moist and supple and it is a great way to take herbs. We make herbal elixirs and tonics as well. We wanted another way.brbrI read a study about how dangerous it is to put chemicals on the skin. It is even more dangerous than taking them internally because it bypasses the hepatic system. The chemicals go directly into the blood stream before they even make it to the liver to be filtered. So it creates a lot of damage in the body.brbrbMike:/b This is a good point. I am glad you mentioned that because recent studies have shown that chemicals in personal care products do enter the blood stream in very high detectable amounts. But for a long time the chemical industry and the Food and Drug Administration have insisted that these products do not really need to be safety regulated because they are not for internal use. They make that interesting distinction.brbrbMinka:/b Especially because they use many transdermal patches to administer medicine, so it is contradictory.brbrbMike:/b Indeed it is. How does nicotine get absorbed but not cosmetic chemicals?brbrbMinka:/b Exactly.brbrbMike:/b Where do you think this industry is going then? Do you think that the future is represented by your kind of product that is chemical-free? Do you think it will just be a niche kind of market here for you?brbrbMinka:/b No, I think the industry is moving in this way. You will see in the future definitely, for example, vanities that are refrigerated because with natural products you are not using chemical preservatives and parabens and such things. They will have a shelf life just as an apple has a shelf life. It has a certain amount of energy and then it begins to decay.brbrWhen you keep your products refrigerated it helps them last a lot longer. I think that in the future you will definitely be seeing more products that do not have the chemical ingredients and stabilizers.brbrbMike:/b I find it is also interesting that in your products you are using Chinese herbs medicinally with the skin as the assimilation organ but, of course, I know you cannot make medical claims for your product but I think this takes your product to a whole different level where most companies are only focused on what looks cosmetically better, not actually harmonizing with botanical support. Can you talk more about that aspect without getting yourself into regulatory trouble?brbrbMinka:/b Yes we can.brbrbAshley:/b Obviously the skin reflects how the organs are doing. When you use something on the skin, it is going to help internal organs. By using the Chinese herbs in a way that people use them every day, even if it is in a small amount, they are still getting it. It just makes it easier for them to be acclimated to it. Then they are getting these small doses of medicinal herbs that do help with many different conditions.brbrbMike:/b One of the principles in Chinese medicine says that the skin reflects the health of the large intestine. I am curious if there may be some benefits of your products to the large intestine as they are treating the skin.brbrbAshley:/b That is interesting because many of the things that really support the large intestine are oils and seeds, which help to promote movement through the large intestine. Of course, almost all of our products are rich in wonderful organic pure oils that are both good for the skin and you can see how that would affect the large intestine.brbrbMinka:/b Then they are made from seeds and they are all rich with that composition. There is definitely a connection there.brbrbMike:/b Is your product considered raw or low temperature processed or cold-pressed?brbrbMinka:/b We use all cold-pressed oils whenever possible just like we use organic ingredients whenever possible. Unfortunately, it is not completely possible to get some Chinese herbs organically. They are just not grown that way and produced that way now. I hope that the market will grow to that place or we started growing some of our own herbs so that the ones we are not able to purchase organically we will be able to grow organically ourselves.brbrbMike:/b Well thanks for joining me today. The website is www.GoldenPathAlchemy.com and I have been talking here with Ashley Beckman and Minka Robinson, the co-founders of the company. Be sure to check out their website and their product line. Thanks for joining me today.brbrbAshley:/b Of course, thank you so much.brbrbMinka:/b Thank you.http://www.NewsTarget.com/022496.htmlMon, 14 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PDT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reviewing new data from two studies that provide further evidence of the risks of anemia drugs known as erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, or ESAs. All eight studies show more rapid tumor growth or shortened survival when patients with breast, non-small cell lung, head and neck, lymphoid or cervical cancers received ESAs compared to patients who did not receive this treatment. The FDA plans to discuss this new data and revisit the risks and benefits of using ESAs in patients with chemotherapy-induced anemia at a public advisory committee meeting in the next few months.

THE Federal Government subsidy of the mesothelioma drug Alimta has paved the way for a national clinical trial of follow-up treatment using the controversial drug Thalidomide.

ACandS Inc. is an insulation contractor that voluntarily entered Chapter 11 in September 2002.  The company is a unit of Lancaster, Pa.-based Irex Corp. At the time it filed for Chapter 11, ACandS had already settled 247,000 asbestos claims, but had 300,000 left to deal with. The company now is in the final stage of its reorganizing.

The reorganization plan calls for $500 million in insurance settlements to resolve the asbestos liabilities. ACandS says no one has objected to the plan. The company expects a smooth end to a long-running bankruptcy case. That clears the way for U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Judith Fitzgerald to authorize ACandS to send the plan to its creditors for a vote. If the Chapter 11 plan is confirmed, ACandS's asbestos liabilities would be placed in a trust funded largely by a unit of Travelers Cos.

ACandS's plan calls for an estimated 6 percent recovery for people with asbestos-related injuries, including mesothelioma and lung cancer, according to court documents. That percentage reflects a deal made with Travelers Casualty that ended decades of litigation over the insurer's obligations to cover asbestos claims against ACandS. The money Travelers will have set aside, $449 million, is expected to earn another $10 million in interest by the time ACandS's Chapter 11 plan is confirmed. Additionally, ACandS stands to collect about $44 million under a settlement with a unit of ACE Ltd., if its Chapter 11 plan is confirmed. Most of the money from Travelers, ACE and other sources will go to a trust to be set up under the Chapter 11 plan to pay claims. 

 
Jack K Clapper
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
415-332-4262
800-440-4262
jkc@clapperlaw.com

THE Federal Government subsidy of the mesothelioma drug Alimta has paved the way for a national clinical trial of follow-up treatment using the controversial drug Thalidomide.

Federal-Mogul Corp. has 45,000 workers worldwide and 1,300 employees in Michigan. It makes a range of auto parts including pistons, windshield wipers and bearings for sale to automakers and in stores. Federal-Mogul emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on December 27th.  This will end a six-year reorganization of the auto-parts maker. The company is expected to exit bankruptcy under the control of Carl Icahn.  Icahn will own a quarter of Federal-Mogul when the company exits. Icahn also will have options to buy a total of 76% of the company's stock.

Federal-Mogul filed for bankruptcy Oct. 1, 2001, due to mounting asbestos litigation. The lawsuits stemmed from businesses that had used asbestos to make items such as gaskets and brakes that Federal-Mogul acquired. Six years later, the process has allowed Federal-Mogul to shift asbestos liabilities into a trust responsible for paying current and future plaintiffs. That trust will hold a little more than half of Federal-Mogul's stock.

Claims to the trust will be made by victims of asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma and lung cancer.  Asbestos lawyers anticipate that the trust will process the claims efficiently in the future.

Jack K Clapper
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
415-332-4262
800-440-4262
jkc@clapperlaw.com

Recent tests have shown that a toy fingerprinting kit contains asbestos. Planet Toys is the manufacturer of the kit.  Planet Toys has asked stores to stop selling its CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit. The company is planning to investigate the health risk posed by the kit.  The U.S. government has not yet decided whether to issue a recall of the asbestos-containing kit.

Asbestos lawyers contend that exposure to even a small amount of asbestos increase the risk of developing serious diseases, including mesothelioma and lung cancer.  Mesothelioma is a terminal cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by breathing in asbestos fibers.

Jack K Clapper
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
415-332-4262
800-440-4262
jkc@clapperlaw.com

Asbestos fibers, if inhaled, can lead to serious lung illnesses such as lung cancer and mesothelioma.  Medical experts believe it takes 20 years or more before symptoms of asbestos-related diseases begin to appear.

It was recently discovered that the heating ducts in a Highlands Elementary School classroom were wrapped in asbestos even though a federally required inspection in 2005 gave the school a clean bill of health. On Oct. 5, a worker removed a piece of pipe insulation and the district had it tested by the HB&T Environmental firm. District officials received a report saying that the pipe covering contained asbestos. The affected room has been closed.

Jack K Clapper
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
415-332-4262
800-440-4262
jkc@clapperlaw.com

 

Federal-Mogul Corp. makes a range of products including pistons, windshield wipers and Champion spark plugs.  The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Oct. 1, 2001.  The Southfield Michigan based auto supplier has been in bankruptcy more than six years. It has settled hundreds of thousands of asbestos lawsuits stemming from asbestos-containing products manufactured by companies that Federal-Mogul had acquired.  The lawsuits were brought on behalf of people with asbestos diseases, including mesothelioma and lung cancer, which were caused by exposure to asbestos.

Federal-Mogul said Tuesday that the company expects to emerge from bankruptcy on Dec. 27. It plans to allocate 50.1% of the stock in the reorganized company to pay asbestos claims. Financier Carl Icahn is expected to then buy 43% of Federal-Mogul from the asbestos trust, supplying the trust with cash to distribute and making Icahn the controlling shareholder.

Jack K Clapper
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
415-332-4262
800-440-4262
jkc@clapperlaw.com

A medical study has shown that a gene test helped determine which breast cancer patients needed chemotherapy; sparing many others with the disease from undergoing the expensive and harsh treatment without compromising their recovery. Based on a study sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and the test's maker, Genomic Health, the test could help spare 18,000 women from chemo every year.

Green tea has anti-tumor effects in breast cancer cells, according to a new study published in the December issues of the Journal of Cancer Biology and Therapy. A team of scientists led by Dr. Radha Maheshwari, professor of Pathology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and Rajesh Loganathan Thangapazham, a graduate student, also identified the mechanisms involved in the inhibiting effects of green tea.

Studies confirm that breathing asbestos fibers is linked to increased risks of lung cancer, and mesothelioma - a cancer of the lining of the chest and abdominal cavity. The risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma increases with the number of fibers inhaled. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have banned several asbestos products and manufacturers have voluntarily limited asbestos use.

Recently, asbestos has been found to be present in many toys and consumer products. Among the asbestos contaminated toys is the CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit.  This product is of great concern to public health experts because the fingerprint kit includes fine powders which make them more likely to be inhaled

 Health experts feel any asbestos is potentially hazardous so that all asbestos, at any level, should be banned. A spokesperson for the U.S. Public Health Service found the test results inexcusable since children have more time to exhibit the health effects from exposure to the asbestos fibers.
 

Jack K Clapper
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
415-332-4262
800-440-4262
jkc@clapperlaw.com

A court is Seoul, South Korea issued a landmark ruling on Tuesday by ordering a company to pay more than $144,000 in damages to the family of a worker who died from cancer due to exposure to asbestos while working with the firm. The decision of the Daegu district court, the first to recognize the danger of asbestos to a worker and the first to hold an employer accountable for death arising from exposure to the cancer-causing substance, is expected to open the floodgates for similar suits from workers of asbestos firms.

More Japanese medical institutions are using the English language in an effort to connect to the rest of the global healthcare community. Taking the lead on the language shift was the Japanese Cancer Association, which opened its three-day convention on Tuesday using English presentations. Takashi Tsuruo, chairman of the convention and head of the Cancer Chemotherapy Center of the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research explained, "We would like to turn our association into one in which researchers from Asia and Oceania can easily participate and to make it the core of research in this region."

A compound found in marijuana that does not have any psychoactive properties may prove to be effective at helping stop the spread of breast cancer cells throughout the body. However, this is not a recommendation for people with breast cancer to smoke marijuana, researchers warned.

Ten workers were allowed to return to their office in the Shasta County Courthouse two days after a warning of possible asbestos contamination in two offices. The employees had been ordered out after a construction worker renovating the offices suspected there was asbestos. An air quality sample was taken and the results came back showing no asbestos was present.

Inhaling asbestos has been found to cause a type of lung cancer called mesothelioma. In 1989, The Environmental Protection Agency banned all new uses of asbestos. Before being banned, asbestos was used in many forms for manufacturing.

The courthouse was built in the 1950s, but renovations have gotten rid of most of the asbestos. Still, this week's asbestos scare wasn't the first time parts of the courthouse have been closed because of possible exposure.  In January, the criminal clerk's office was closed after asbestos was discovered.

Jack K Clapper
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
415-332-4262
800-440-4262

W. R. Grace & Co. is a global supplier of products to refineries, catalysts for the manufacture of plastics, specialty materials for industrial applications, chemicals, additives and building materials for commercial and residential construction, and sealants for food and beverage packaging. Grace currently has annual sales of almost $3 billion, 6,500 employees and operates in ore than 40 countries.

Grace and its subsidiaries made asbestos containing products for many decades. Because users of these products developed disease as a result of breathing in the asbestos fibers, many lawsuits were filed against Grace.  In order to delay paying settlements to asbestos lawyers representing the victims, Grace filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Grace has disclosed that a joint proposed reorganization plan was filed on November 5, 2007, by the Official Committee of Asbestos Personal Injury Claimants and the representative of Future Personal Injury Claimants. Grace, the Official Committee of General Unsecured Creditors and the Official Committee of Equity Holders had already filed a proposed Plan of Reorganization in January 2005.  Therefore, the bankruptcy court will now be required to consider the two competing plans of reorganization. 

Jack K Clapper
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
415-332-4262
800-440-4262

Asbestos is one of the most widely recognized carcinogens and its use has been banned in 40 nations.  Canada, however, has not banned the mining and exportation of asbestos.  Two mining operations in Quebec continue to extract a large volume of asbestos and export it to developing countries. Asbestos is now rarely used in Canada. Yet the government promotes shipping asbestos to countries that do not enforce the measures necessary to ensure its safe usage.

There are estimates that 20,000 people die each year from asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos causes cancer, including pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma, which are almost always fatal. Even with these statistics, the Quebec and Canadian federal governments continue to actively promote asbestos as a viable import to developing states.

Defenders of the state-sponsored industry cite its $93-million dollar revenue as one reason to uphold its production. This argument makes the government look like it has one thing in mind—money.  The government defends the sale of asbestos to developing countries on the basis that asbestos is harmless as long as it is used it cautiously . It’s unrealistic to assume that these countries, such as India, have the infrastructure necessary to ensure its effects are harmless.

Jack K Clapper
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
415-332-4262
800-440-4262

W.R. Grace & Co. is a specialty chemicals manufacturer.  Many of its products contained asbestos.  Grace filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on April 2, 2001, in the face of mounting asbestos-related claims. Asbestos lawyers had filed many claims on behalf of their clients for diseases such as mesothelioma and lung cancer. Grace must set up a fund to pay the claims in order to emerge from bankruptcy protection.

Grace filed a reorganization plan in January 2005 along with the Official Committee of General Unsecured Creditors and the Official Committee of Equity Holders as co-proponents. That plan caps asbestos liabilities at $1.6 billion, to be paid for through a trust. That plan was opposed by several parties.  As a result, in July of 2007 Judge Judith K. Fitzgerald, the U.S. bankruptcy judge presiding over the case ended Grace's exclusive control over its reorganization. The decision allows creditors to file competing plans.

Now, committees representing current and future asbestos-related claimants have proposed a reorganization plan that estimates Grace’s asbestos liability to be "at least" $4 billion. The Official Committee of Asbestos Personal Injury Claimants and the Future Personal Injury Claimants filed a joint plan in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Del. This plan proposes that the company set aside cash and equity to settle claims of at least $4 billion.
 
The two sides have yet to agree how big a fund needs to be to cover Grace’s liabilities. An expert hired by the creditors earlier this year estimated Grace's liability to be between $4.7 billion and $6.2 billion.  An expert hired by the Grace estimated liabilities at between $385 million and $1.3 billion. Ultimately, the court - not Grace - will decide which reorganization plan to implement.

 

Jack K Clapper
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
415-332-4262
800-440-4262

W.R. Grace & Co. is a specialty chemicals manufacturer.  Many of its products contained asbestos.  Grace filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on April 2, 2001, in the face of mounting asbestos-related claims. Asbestos lawyers had filed many claims on behalf of their clients for diseases such as mesothelioma and lung cancer. Grace must set up a fund to pay the claims in order to emerge from bankruptcy protection.

Grace filed a reorganization plan in January 2005 along with the Official Committee of General Unsecured Creditors and the Official Committee of Equity Holders as co-proponents. That plan caps asbestos liabilities at $1.6 billion, to be paid for through a trust. That plan was opposed by several parties.  As a result, in July of 2007 Judge Judith K. Fitzgerald, the U.S. bankruptcy judge presiding over the case ended Grace's exclusive control over its reorganization. The decision allows creditors to file competing plans.

Now, committees representing current and future asbestos-related claimants have proposed a reorganization plan that estimates Grace’s asbestos liability to be "at least" $4 billion. The Official Committee of Asbestos Personal Injury Claimants and the Future Personal Injury Claimants filed a joint plan in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Del. This plan proposes that the company set aside cash and equity to settle claims of at least $4 billion.
 
The two sides have yet to agree how big a fund needs to be to cover Grace’s liabilities. An expert hired by the creditors earlier this year estimated Grace's liability to be between $4.7 billion and $6.2 billion.  An expert hired by the Grace estimated liabilities at between $385 million and $1.3 billion. Ultimately, the court - not Grace - will decide which reorganization plan to implement.

 

Jack K Clapper
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
415-332-4262
800-440-4262

Federal-Mogul Corp. has reached agreements to resolve objections to its Chapter 11 reorganization plan.   The auto-parts maker has been in Chapter 11 for several years.  It sought relief in bankruptcy from thousand of lawsuits filed by asbestos lawyers on behalf of their clients suffering from various asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma and lung cancer.  Federal-Mogul could emerge from bankruptcy by year's end.

Federal-Mogul’s insurers were the only remaining holdouts on its reorganization plan.  On Monday papers are expected to be filed in which the insurers agree to drop their objections to all issues. The issues include whether the company is entitled to assign rights under its insurance policies to a trust for asbestos-related illnesses, such as mesothelioma, under the reorganization plan.  Federal-Mogul's plan has the support of asbestos claimants and banks and bondholders. The broad outlines of the plan were hammered out years ago in negotiations between investor Carl Icahn, a major debt holder, and asbestos-injury lawyers.  Icahn intends to acquire half of the reorganized Federal-Mogul that will be owned by the asbestos claimants under the plan.

However, two judges must sign off on Federal-Mogul's Chapter 11 proposal before the end of the year, if the company is to meet the deadline on its exit financing. The possibility of appeals could delay confirmation, unless objections are withdrawn before the judge signs off.

 

Jack K Clapper
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
415-332-4262
800-440-4262
jkc@clapperlaw.com

Quigley Company for many years made asbestos-containing products. Pfizer bought Quigley in 1968. People exposed to the asbestos in Quigley’s products developed asbestos related diseases, including mesothelioma and lung cancer.  Lawyers representing clients with mesothelioma and lung cancer began filing claims against Quigley and Pfizer in the 1980s.

In 1992 Quigley sold its assets and began concentrating on resolving its asbestos liabilities. Then in September of 2004 Quigley sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.  Shortly before Quigley sought Chapter 11 protection, Pfizer agreed to pay those claimants who agreed to settle, who totaled more than 80 percent of the personal-injury claimants, a total of $430 million.  Pfizer paid half of that settlement in 2005 and agreed to pay the rest when Quigley's plan is confirmed.

Judge Stuart M. Bernstein of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court recently ruled that Quigley's current plan to repay creditors and compensate asbestos claimants can go forward to a vote. An earlier version of Quigley's plan failed when a judge ruled that Pfizer's pre-bankruptcy arrangements with asbestos claimants unfairly tainted the balloting. Under the new plan, Pfizer agreed to kick in an extra $100 million - in addition to the $550 million it had already set aside - to fund the payments to asbestos victims.

A group of asbestos personal-injury claimants who had opposed the current plan called it an attempt to avoid responding to "countless dying cancer victims." The committee argued that the proposed plan treats creditors who settled with Quigley and Pfizer before the bankruptcy filing more favorably. The group argued that Quigley's plan lumps both settling and non-settling asbestos claimants into the same class, even though the settling claimants will get money from both Pfizer and the Quigley trust.

Bernstein agreed that the plan raises questions about the treatment of asbestos creditors, but said that its disclosure statement does provide creditors with enough information to make informed decisions. Bernstein added that Quigley's classifying the settling and non-settling asbestos claimants together doesn't mean the plan is unconfirmable. "The fact that some members of the class may also look to third parties for payment, while others in the class do not have the same right, does not mandate separate classification," he said. Also, the non-settling creditors can still pursue claims against Pfizer for damage inflicted by Pfizer’s own asbestos products, while those who settled with the drug maker are barred from pursuing any claims against Pfizer in the future, according to the judge. Those asbestos claimants who settled with Pfizer prior to Quigley filing for Chapter 11 "assumed a risk" the non-settling claimants avoided. The settling claimants "surrendered their rights to pursue any claims against Pfizer."

Bernstein's ruling means Quigley can send the plan to creditors for a vote.

 

Jack K Clapper
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
415-332-4262
800-440-4262
jkc@clapperlaw.com

Human Genome Sciences announced on Wednesday that its study on HGS-ETR2 (lexatumumab) proved that it was safe and well tolerated in combination with four different standard chemotherapy regimens in a Phase 1b clinical trial in patients with a wide range of cancer types. Adverse responses were reported for two patients, and stable disease was observed in 22 patients. The trial was the first reported human study of an antibody to TRAIL receptor 2 in combination with chemotherapy.

A new study on cancer patients suffering from symptoms of fatigue finds that they may get some relief through regular exercise and psychological counseling to deal with stress. According to researchers fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of patients with cancer and those undergoing treatment with radiation and chemotherapy.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new breast cancer chemotherapy drug called Ixempra for the treatment of advanced breast cancer in women who haven't responded to three other types of chemotherapy. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., which makes Ixempra, said was the drug is approved for use with the chemotherapy drug capecitabine (brand name Xeloda) for treatment of women with breast cancer that's spread to other parts of the body.

While clearing a back up in the sewer lines, clean-up crews discovered asbestos in the city’s fire offices on October 12th. As a result, the fire offices have been closed.  The city is accepting bids on asbestos removal.

Because asbestos causes serious diseases, including mesothlioma and lung cancer, it must be removed from the building so that the occupants will not be exposed to it.  Even a small amount of asbestos is sufficient to cause mesothelioma, according to asbestos attorneys representing victims of mesothelioma.  Asbestos removal crews must wear protective clothing and respirators while doing their work.

Jack K Clapper
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
415-332-4262
800-440-4262
jkc@clapperlaw.com

Thorpe Insulation Co. is a California based insulation supplier. The insulation contained asbestos for many years.  Asbestos causes serious diseases, including mesothelioma and lung cancer.  Asbestos lawyers have sued Thorpe on behalf of clients who developed asbestos related diseases.

Yesterday Thorpe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California.  Thorpe estimated that it has more than $100 million in assets.


Jack K Clapper
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
415-332-4262
800-440-4262
jkc@clapperlaw.com

Federal-Mogul Corp. is an auto parts maker.  Many of the parts contained asbestos.  Asbestos lawyers filed thousands of cases against Federal- Mogul alleging that the asbestos had caused mesothelioma and lung cancer. The company filed for Chapter 11 protection, and has been in Chapter 11 for more than six years.

Federal-Mogul wants to end its stay in bankruptcy by Dec. 31 to preserve favorable pricing on $3.5 billion worth of exit financing.  However, the reorganization plan could not be finalized because of numerous objections that had been filed by various entities. Most of these objections had been resolved. PepsiAmericas was the only entity still objecting to part “B” of Federal-Mogul's Chapter 11 plan. PepsiAmericas recently withdrew its objection.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Judith Fitzgerald said she is likely to recommend that the "B" version of Federal-Mogul's Chapter 11 plan be confirmed. Objections remain to other parts of the plan. However, settlements are pending that could end all opposition to Federal-Mogul's Chapter 11 reorganization plan.


 

Jack K Clapper
Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason
415-332-4262
800-440-4262
jkc@clapperlaw.com

Taxol, the commonly used chemotherapy drug may benefit only a fraction of the women with advanced breast cancer, new study suggests. As part of a two-step chemotherapy drug regimen designed to prevent a recurrence of the malignancy, the drug is given to women whose cancer has spread beyond the breast.

Breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy may face increased risk of heart disease, new research has found. Chemotherapy uses drugs called anthracyclines that are known to weaken some women's hearts and such treatments actually put women's lives at risk after saving them from cancers.

Asbestos is still an ingredient in about 3,000 products that are currently available in the United States. Asbestos causes serious diseases, including mesothelioma and lung cancer. On Thursday, October 4th, the Senate voted unanimously to pass a bill banning asbestos. If approved by the House the United States will join more than 40 other nations that have banned the cancer causing material.

The legislation bans the importation, manufacture, processing and distribution of products containing asbestos. It orders the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that asbestos containing products are no longer available within two years of the bill's enactment. It also creates ten centers which will try to find better treatment of asbestos-related disease.

Patty Murray, Democratic Senator from Washington, was a leader in getting the ban passed. Her efforts were initially stymied by a Republican effort to pass legislation that would have prevented people injured by asbestos from suing the companies involved. The White House did all it could to stymie discussion of the ban. Corporate opposition to the ban was enormous.

Connecticut schools were recently issued a warning that clay used in art classes might be contaminated by asbestos. State officials sent a letter to school districts in June, 2007, warning that a type of clay used in art classes contains talc that might be contaminated with asbestos. An epidemiologist with the state Department of Public Health reported conflicting interpretations of whether the clay contains asbestos.

Exposure to asbestos can cause serious diseases, including mesothelioma and lung cancer.  Asbestos lawyers representing plaintiffs have alleged in several lawsuits that the talc found in some clays used in schools is contaminated with a form of asbestos. These allegations have been disputed by asbestos attorneys defending the distributors of the talc.

 

RPM International Inc. is a holding company that owns subsidiaries which make specialty coatings and sealants for both industrial and consumer markets. RPM's industrial products include roofing systems, sealants, corrosion control coatings, flooring coatings and specialty chemicals. RPM's consumer products are used for home maintenance and improvement, automotive and boat repair and maintenance, and by hobbyists.

RPM has reported record sales, net income and diluted earnings per share for its fiscal 2008 first quarter ended August 31, 2007.  First-quarter net sales increased 10.2% over that reported a year ago.

However, partly because of higher cash outlays for asbestos defense, RPM businesses had negative cash flow from operations in the fiscal 2008 first quarter. RPM drew down more of its asbestos reserve to pay indemnity and defense costs during the current quarter, than it did a year ago. RPM has paid settlements for mesothelioma and lung cancer claims made by asbestos lawyers representing victims of asbestos diseases.

French pharmaceutical group Sanofi-Aventis has received a federal approval for its anti-cancer drug Taxotere. The drug has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat locally advanced head and neck cancer prior to chemoradiotherapy and surgery, Sanofi-Aventis said Monday.

Asbestos lawyers are filing lawsuits against the employers of workers because of secondhand exposure to asbestos brought into the home on clothing. In a typical case, the worker is male and s exposed to asbestos at his workplace.  The asbestos fibers cling to his work clothes which he brings home.  His wife lauders the clothes and is exposed to asbestos by doing so.  The wife develops mesothelioma as a result of this exposure.

If the worker developed mesothelioma due to his exposure at work, the worker himself would be barred from suing his employer because of workers compensation rules in most states.  However, family members are not barred since they were not employees of the husband’s employer.

These asbestos lawsuits are getting mixed results in different states.  A Washington state court of appeals recently ruled that families of workers who bring asbestos home on clothes may file suits against the employer. Rochon v. SaberHagen Holdings Inc., No. 58579-7-I (Wash. Ct. App.). A Louisiana appellate court upheld a trial verdict in which a wife died from mesothelioma after exposure from cleaning her husband’s work clothes. Chaisson v. Avondale Indus. Inc., 947 So. 2d 171, 183 (La. Ct. App.). The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that a company can be liable for a wife's secondhand exposure to asbestos. The case involved a husband who was exposed to asbestos at work, and whose wife died of mesothelioma due to the washing his clothes. Olivo v. Owens-Illinois Inc., No.a-23-05 (N.J.).

On the other hand, the Michigan Supreme Court rejected a similar case against Ford Motor Co. The court held that Ford did not have a duty to protect a daughter from second hand asbestos exposure because Ford had no special relationship with the plaintiff. Miller v. Ford Motor Co., No. 131517 (Mich.).  In California, a jury in October 2006 found that DaimlerChrysler Corp. had negligently exposed a woman to asbestos but wasn't responsible for her mesothelioma.  The woman claimed she developed mesothelioma through asbestos exposure brought home by relatives who were as auto mechanics. Price v. DaimlerChrysler Corp., No. RG06254616 (Alameda Co., Calif., Super. Ct.).

In 1971, Quebec, Canada was the world's largest producer of asbestos. The fibrous mineral was used in thousands of products, from fire retardants to insulation. In Quebec asbestos is everywhere. The roads are actually paved with it - asbestos is used as a filler in asphalt. There's even a town in Quebec called Asbestos.

But in the late 1960s and early '70s, it became widely accepted that the handling of asbestos caused cancer. The international medical community, with the exception of Canada, determined that asbestos causes terminal illnesses, including mesothelioma and lung cancer. The asbestos industry peaked around 1973, then began to wind down. In the late 1990s, the Canadian industry was hit with a French ban on asbestos imports, and in 2005 a ban was enacted throughout the European Union.

In the United States, beginning in the 1980’s many lawyers became mesothelioma attorneys - representing victims of asbestos.   A number of major corporations which had used asbestos in their products declared bankruptcy because of the asbestos litigation.  Substitutes for the use of asbestos were developed.

In the past five years, asbestos sales in North America have shrunk. Today, many of the Canadian asbestos mines are bankrupt.

One Canadian company, LAB, continued to mine asbestos and has fought the ban.  Their asbestos mine is currently going 24 hours a day. LAB plans to mine 120,000 tons of asbestos this year.

Canadian health authorities, under political pressure, have long refused to issue an opinion on asbestos. However, after an 18-month study, the Canadian Cancer Society finally has called for a ban on the use and export of asbestos. This may be a fatal blow to LAB. In recent years, LAB has struggled with stiff competition from foreign producers.

Simon Dupéré, the 27-year-old president and CEO of LAB thinks that there may be hope for the company by selling to Asia and the Middle East, where demand for asbestos products is growing. But a Canadian company is at a distinct disadvantage to big asbestos producing companies in nations like Russia, Brazil and Zimbabwe, which are closer to emerging markets and can mine asbestos more cheaply.

The 20-plus-story building at 2930 N. Sheridan in Chicago, Illinois is being converted to condominiums.  The building has been evacuated due to alleged improper asbestos removal.  Asbestos causes cancer and pulmonary problems.  Asbestos attorneys have alleged in lawsuits that exposure to asbestos causes mesothelioma and lung cancer.

The Chicago Department of Environment alerted state public health officials who began evacuating the building Thursday afternoon.  The property owner must hire a state-approved asbestos removal company to clean up before state health officials will allow the building to reopen. 

Last month there was concern about improperly removed asbestos at another building in Chicago, the landmark Pittsfield Building, during rehabilitation work on that building.

San Francisco, California's Hunters Point Naval shipyard had operated for many decades.  As a result of ship building and repair operations, the site was contaminated with asbestos.  Hundreds of lawsuits alleging asbestos diseases have been filed over the past two decades on behalf of workers at Hunters Point.  Asbestos lawyers have alleged that these workers contracted asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma and lung cancer, as a result of being exposed to asbestos at Hunters Point.

Hunters Point closed several years ago. After years of delay (in part because of the asbestos contamination) portions of the site are now being developed. The development requires grading.  The site that is currently being graded is known as Parcel A.

Local residents have complained that the dust created by the grading is posing a health hazard. They have feared that the dust contains asbestos fibers. However, a recent survey by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry reported that the levels of asbestos measured at the excavation site were low and did not pose an asbestos health hazard.

W.R. Grace & Co. (Grace) operated a vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana for several decades.  The mine was closed in 1990.  Hundreds of people in Libby have become ill due to exposure to asbestos, which is a contaminate found in vermiculite.  Asbestos causes serious, often fatal, diseases, including mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.

A 2005 indictment by the U.S. government charged Grace and several former managers with conspiring to conceal the health risks. The case has been going forward with pre-trial discovery in Missoula, Montana.  U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy has been overseeing the case and had made several pre-trial rulings on legal issues.

A trial had been scheduled for September.  Prior to trial, several of the rulings by Judge Molloy had been appealed.  A federal appeals court reversed a number of the pretrial rulings. 

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned Judge Molloy’s ruling that the five-year statute of limitations precluded the charge that Grace committed an overt act to knowingly endanger others.  The three-judge panel disagreed, and found that the lower court incorrectly interpreted the federal statute.  Thus, evidence of Grace’s overt acts may be admitted at trial.

The appeals court panel also reversed Molloy’s decision regarding the definition of asbestos.

Molloy had interpreted the term “asbestos” to only include the six minerals listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.   His ruling excluded evidence of all other asbestiform minerals. "This ruling eliminated from trial evidence of releases of 95 percent of the contaminants in the Libby vermiculite _ which are asbestiform minerals but fall outside of the six minerals in the civil regulatory definition".  The panel ruled that asbestos need not include "mineral-by-mineral classifications to provide notice of its hazardous nature, particularly to these knowledgeable defendants."

Molloy had issued a ruling allowing Grace to use an affirmative defense established by the Clean Air Act for air pollutants released under "National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants."  The panel disagreed.  "The plain language of the statute makes clear that the affirmative defense simply doesn't apply in this case," the panel wrote. "The district court's order to the contrary leaves us with a 'definite and firm conviction' that it got the law wrong."

The September trial date has been vacated and no new date has been set.

Prior to its being banned in the late 1970s, asbestos was widely used in roofing, insulation, gaskets, and other products. If asbestos is disturbed, microscopic asbestos fibers become trapped in the lungs for decades without symptoms but then result in serious health problems, including mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.

Many buildings on the Chico State campus in Chico, California contain asbestos.  Because of the dangers of disturbing asbestos, there has been no remodeling in many of the older buildings.  Students and faculty are now registering complaints about lighting problems.  However, the presence of asbestos would make the repair of the lights difficult and expensive.  If making the repairs requires workers to disturb asbestos-containing material, a licensed state contractor and a third-party overseer must check that required safety precautions are in place and that the work complies with all safety rules and regulations.  This can cost up to $150,000, depending on the amount of asbestos that is involved.

The old Cambria Air Force station in San Luis Obispo County, California, has been the site of ongoing investigations into the improper use and disposal of asbestos-containing materials. Inhaling asbestos fibers increases the risk of mesothelioma, lung cancer and other breathing disorders. San Luis Obispo County officials have records of illegal asbestos removal beginning with an inspection in 2002. Then in 2003, another inspection found additional evidence of asbestos disposal violations. In 2004 the owners were fined and told to hire a licensed asbestos abatement company.

Last month a search of the 30-acre property indicated there had been illegal construction on the property.  This has led to a request for further investigation. This month officials obtained a search warrant to look for more evidence of any illegal disposal of hazardous materials on the property. Asbestos is a known carcinogen, according to the officials.

The City of Oakridge, Oregon has been fined $9,600 for improperly disposing of asbestos-containing debris from mobile homes that it demolished this spring. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral.  When mined and used in manufacturing products, such as insulation, the asbestos breaks into long, thin fibers. When inhaled, the asbestos fibers cause mesothelioma, lung cancer and other serious diseases.  Mobile homes usually are constructed using asbestos-containing materials, including roofing, joint compounds and floor tiles. Therefore, strict precautions must be taken when demolishing them.

In addition to the $9,600 fine for improper disposal, Oakridge was fined $2,400 for failing to conduct an asbestos survey prior to demolishing the mobile homes.  The city was also assessed $3,600 for allowing uncertified contractors to do the work on the abatement project and another $3,600 for allowing asbestos-containing waste material to accumulate at an unauthorized waste disposal site.