A leading Canadian physician in mesothelioma research and a University of British Columbia professor are supporting an analysis by B.C. construction unions that 300 workers will die of asbestos-related disease each year over the next five years.
That means more than 1,500 people will die of mesothelioma or other asbestos diseases in the next five years.
Wayne Peppard, executive director of the BC and Yukon – Building and Construction Trades Council, who took part in the analysis, said in a statement that their prediction is based on a Building Trades’ analysis of preliminary WorkSafeBC statistics and the latest research at the UBC School of Environmental Health.
Dr. Michael R. Johnston, a professor of surgery at Halifax’s Dalhousie University who has performed several successful operations on patients afflicted with mesothelioma, and Professor Paul Demers at UBC’s School of Environmental Health, agree with the assessment.
“The conservative estimate is 65-70 mesothelioma cancers and 130-140 asbestos related lung cancers per year,” said Demers. “There are also cases of asbestosis, as well as mesothelioma that is misdiagnosed and other asbestos-related cancers (larynx, colorectal, stomach, etc.) pushing the number of new cases up to 250 – 300 per year and most will eventually die from these diseases.
“The general trend is more cases each year and internationally, researchers are projecting this trend to crest anywhere between now and 10 years from now. I think it is safe to assume that the rate will not be lower for at least five years in B.C.”
This means there are thousands of Canadians who have asbestos fibers in sitting in their lungs and may not even know it.
Peppard says the review takes into account that many mesothelioma fatalities are missing as WorkSafeBC statistics only register and track their own accepted cases.
“We know that many mesothelioma fatalities are not recorded in the statistics, nor are many lung cancer cases that are caused by asbestos exposure,” Peppard said. “But this new research shows we can expect at least 300 asbestos-related deaths this year and every year for the next five.”
“This carnage from asbestos related fatalities is disastrous for those workers and their families,” Peppard added. “It’s long past time that the Canadian and Quebec governments stop the production and use of asbestos – it’s simply too dangerous a substance and these statistics prove it.”
