A talc supplier for pharmaceutical and cosmetics giant Johnson & Johnson recently agreed to a settlement with 22 plaintiffs in an upcoming talcum powder cancer trial over allegations that the defendants’ talc-based products caused the victims’ cancer diagnosis. As part of the agreement, Imerys Talc SA will pay a total of at least $5 million, according to reports, to the plaintiffs to resolve the company’s liability in the case also involving Johnson & Johnson. The settlement comes right before the start of a talcum powder cancer trial in U.S.

We know the harmful effects that asbestos can have on people who have been exposed to it, breathing in the airborne fibers, and developing serious and likely fatal health ailments decades down the road. Construction workers, machinists, firefighters, auto mechanics and power plant workers who often work with asbestos-related products may be more susceptible to asbestos-related illnesses. So can the typical family who may live in a house built before the 1980s as many such structures were made with asbestos-containing materials.

Malignant mesothelioma treatment options generally fall into the following categories – surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy or radiation therapy.  These four treatment modalities are the major “conventional” or “mainstream” treatment options for malignant mesothelioma.  Malignant mesothelioma is very aggressive form of cancer where the tumor grows up against anything it contacts often invading surrounding structures and organs.  As a result, malignant mesothelioma treatment is often limited as with other advanced, aggressive, and metastatic cancers.

A McLean County, Indiana jury recently handed down a significant trial verdict for the family who brought suit on behalf of their deceased loved one, claiming the defendants allowed the victim to be exposed to asbestos which eventually lead to his mesothelioma cancer diagnosis. It took the men and women of the jury just one hour of deliberation after a two-week trial to hold Tremco Inc. responsible for the victim’s terminal cancer and awarded his surviving family members $5 million on behalf of the estate.

Firefighters do an inherently dangerous job protecting life and property from fire and other disasters. But they also face tremendous unseen dangers such as asbestos exposure while working in older buildings. More and more firefighters have grown concerned about repeat exposure and these are a few of the important frequently asked questions and answers. How Does Asbestos Threaten Firefighters? Asbestos exposure can cause mesothelioma cancer. Firefighters are exposed to it when extinguishing fires. Burning asbestos may release fibers into the air that can be breathed into the lungs and make contact with the skin.