Posted on May 6, 2014 

The Global Ban Asbestos Network (GBAN) was founded in 2010 by the Brazilian Association for the Asbestos-Exposed (ABREA) and the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) to provide a social network resource for Communication, Collaboration and Action sharing “ban asbestos” information worldwide.

As our reach has grown to nearly 30,000 viewers, Fernanda Giannasi (ABREA) and I are thrilled to welcome three new members in leadership roles. Lou Williams, Australian National Director, Dr. Ken Takahashi, Asian Regional Director, and Yvonne Waterman, European Regional Director, will serve as communication coordinators for the network, bringing together 33 Members from 21 countries.  For Dr. Takahashi and Yvonne, we are acknowledging the invaluable role they already play in GBAN. Lou is new to our group, an expert in social media, asbestos organizations, and educational efforts in Australia and around the world, and also a Mesothelioma Warrior.  All three presented at the 2014 ADAO conference in April and we encourage you to watch their videos to learn more.

Would your organization or union like to be part of GBAN? Our network serves as a connecting point for independent nonprofit victims organizations, public health activists and occupational safety and health organizations.  If you represent any of these groups, we hope you will join us. Email gban@gban.net today with your request. GBAN is powered by volunteers and does not have any staff of our own.

GBAN welcomes your news, letters, petitions, educational materials, press releases, photos and blogs of 200 words or less, via email to gban@gban.net.  Please note, GBAN does not make medical or legal referrals.

Posted on March 3, 2014

Dr. Richard Lemen, ADAO Science Advisory Co-Chair and Assistant Surgeon General (ret.) & RADM (ret.) USPHS

“As Co-Chair of Science Advisory Board of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, I am pleased to share news from the recent German Cancer Congress I attended which was held 19-22 February in Berlin, Germany after attending and participating with Linda in the International Conference on Monitoring and Surveillance of Asbestos-Related Diseases in Helsinki, Finland the previous week (discussed in more detail in this Newsletter).  In Berlin during the session on “The Situation of Asbestos Victims” I discussed the “Pandemic dimensions of asbestos induced cancer”.  Presentations were also given by two of my colleagues and Fellows, along with myself, of the Collegium Ramazzini.  Professor Woitowitz discussed Asbestos related lung cancer: Epidemiology versus compensation practice in Germany” and Dr. Baur discussed “Recognition of asbestos induced occupational diseases without histology.” Other participants included Dr. Evelyn Glensk, chair of the session and Laurie Kazan Allen of the International Campaign to Ban Asbestos and in absentia Dr. Paunovic of the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

I was most please to represent ADAO as a signatory to the Declaration in Berlin on Health hazards due to asbestos and the situation of the asbestos-related diseased.  It is hoped this Declaration will bring more awareness and attention for the victims of asbestos-related diseases in Germany.  For more than 40 years, I have worked on public health policy in the United States and elseware to reduce and eliminate asbestos-related diseases.  I am pleased that through participation with other global leaders that efforts continue for the elimination of asbestos-related diseases worldwide.  We have made progress now that over 50 Countries of the world now ban all uses of asbestos.  However, in our own backyard we still have much work to do since our own country, the United States, still allows asbestos to be used.  As long as this continues I will be discussing the Pandemic of Asbestos-Related Diseases rather than their eradication.”

Dr. Richard Lemen, ADAO Science Advisory Board Co-Chair and Assistant Surgeon General (ret.) & RADM (ret.) USPHS

Posted on November 27, 2013 

SOURCE: Right on Canada 

Russian asbestos companies paid for scientific article that supports asbestos use” by Kathleen Ruff

The International Chrysotile Association (a lobby organisation for the global asbestos industry) is celebrating the publication of an article, Health Risks of Chrysotile Revisited, by the journal, Critical Reviews in Toxicology.

The article was written by two longtime advocates for asbestos use, who have worked extremely closely with and been financed by the asbestos industry for many years – David Bernstein, PhD and Jacques Dunnigan, PhD. Their article, as does everything they have written and said for the past decades, supports the asbestos industry’s position that chrysotile asbestos can be safely used.

The editor in chief of Critical Reviews in Toxicology, Roger McClellan, told Bernstein that the article “should be a useful contribution to the literature” and that he looked forward to receiving further submissions from Bernstein. McClellan was previously Chief Scientist and then Director of the Chemical Industry Institute for Toxicology. He was paid $35,792.55 to testify on behalf of an asbestos company, Union Carbide. Continue reading →

Posted on November 26, 2013

“Complaint submitted to Editor of scientific publication regarding hidden asbestos industry ties” by Kathleen Ruff

Scientists gave false information and failed to disclose their close ties to the asbestos industry

SOURCE: Right on Canada