October 2, 2013 – Although its use has significantly diminished in the United States, asbestos is still a global problem that demands great attention. The World Health Organization estimates that 107,000 people throughout the world die each year due to asbestos-related diseases. The harmful impact of asbestos-related diseases can be further demonstrated with a statistic known as potential years of lost life (PYLL). This statistic was examined in a recent study conducted by the Institute of Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
In the study, researchers analyzed how many PYLL resulted from asbestos-related deaths. It found that a staggering 2.1 million years of life were lost to malignant mesothelioma between 1994 and 2010. The average PYLL for a person who died from mesothelioma was 17.0, meaning the average person lost 17 years of their expected lifetime to an asbestos-related disease. These unsettling figures do not paint the full picture, as no data was available for some countries where asbestos use is prevalent, such as China, India and Russia. With more available data, researchers believe the numbers would climb even higher. The difficulty in diagnosing asbestos-related diseases, due to the long delay in recognizing symptoms, may have caused under-reporting and misdiagnoses that also diluted the report’s figures.
As the study details the devastating impact of asbestos use, many are calling for measures to prevent the more than 200,000 PYLL from mesothelioma each year. Lawmakers in some countries have voiced their support for a worldwide ban of asbestos. A worldwide ban, they argue, is the only plan that will end the harmful impacts of asbestos-related diseases in the future.
Pennsylvania and New Jersey Asbestos Attorneys at the Shein Law: Securing Justice for Asbestos-Related Disease Victims
If you or a loved one has been affected by mesothelioma, asbestosis or asbestos-induced lung cancer, contact the Pennsylvania and New Jersey asbestos attorneys at Shein Law. We maintain offices in Philadelphia, PA and Pennsauken, NJ, but we are available to meet at another location convenient to you and your family. Call us today at 1-877-SHEINLAW (743-4632) to schedule a free consultation or contact us online.