There is rarely discussed, but a chief factor of exposure to asbestos and the development of mesothelioma is the service military. Until it was banned in the 1970s, asbestos was used throughout military installations and ships. In fact, one third of those who die of the deadly cancer mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos on ships and in shipyards of the United States Navy.
Fortunately, the Department of Defense (DoD) has committed itself to do something about this crisis. In 08, awarded its first grant for research on mesothelioma, a price of $ 2.4 million to Courtney Broaddus, M.D., for his work on inflammation induced by macrophages in mesothelioma. The grant was awarded following a directive by the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee to fund research into mesothelioma.
Since the first prize, the DoD has stepped up its efforts. In 09, the Department awarded millions of dollars in funding for three major research projects that focus on the study of the early detection of mesothelioma, the identification of new therapeutic targets, and the implementation of a clinical trial of a new treatment.
This new funding commitment is admirable, but it begins to redress the neglect of research of mesothelioma by the US government. Funding for research on mesothelioma is far behind that of other cancers. In fact, from 04 to 07, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) invested less than $ 6 million on mesothelioma research only a tenth of 1 percent of its annual budget.
We hope that these new funding initiatives of the DoD report increased participation from era to finance mesothelioma and research by the US government. Considering the sacrifice of our veterans are, we need them to fight for a cure against this deadly disease.
