Petition Submitted for a National Centre for Asbestos Related Disease
Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer of the lining of the lungs, caused due to exposure to asbestos. It claims about 2,000 lives every year and this number is not likely to stop increasing until 2015, which has become a serious cause of concern.
Recently, lobbyists handed over a petition to PM Gordon Brown, which contains a request for the development of a virtual centre that can help fund research looking for cures of asbestos-related diseases. Government has been asked to provide £7 million to support the research through the creation of a National Centre for Asbestos Related Disease (NCARD). The petition was signed by 24,000 people and it was handed over at Mr. Brown’s residence, 10 Downing Street.
At present there are no funds provided by the Government for any research into asbestos-related diseases, which means that most of such work has to be carried out by funds raised form public charities. Lobbyists are hoping that if the government can release a substantial sum for research, medical experts would be attracted to this field, which would raise the chances of finding a cure.
Chris Knighton from the Mick Knighton Mesothelioma Research Fund, who handed over the petition to the PM, said that the statistics of cases of asbestos related ailments were quite alarming and that immediate action was the need of the hour. He also said that NCARD would not only be able to support research through funding, but it would also be able to coordinate the efforts of different researchers working in this area.
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