Need for an Equivalent of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to Contain the Relentless Influence of Asbestos Interests in Promoting the Safe Use of Chrysotile Asbestos

Developing the JPC-SE Position Statement on Asbestos required challenging and exposing scientific uncertainty manufactured by vested interests. Since the Statement was released, further infiltration of vested interests, even into IARC, has occurred. 1) Scientists are involved in collaboration with IARC from the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. This Academy sponsored the pseudo-scientific Kiev conference in November 2012 which called for the defeat of the recommended listing of chrysotile asbestos as hazardous under the Rotterdam Convention in 2013. 2) Dr. Kovalevskiy of the Russian Academy was listed in 2012 Brazil Supreme court documents as a witness for the Brazilian Chrysotile Institute (the industry's lobby group) to promote the continued use of Chrysotile asbestos in Brazil. 3) The Uralasbest study is financed by the Russian Ministry of Health. Along with the Russian Academy and Kovalevskiy and Kashanskiy, who IARC has appointed as collaborators, the Russian Ministry of Health is a dedicated proponent of continued use of chrysotile asbestos. 4) The asbestos industry and its lobby organisations have spent millions over the years to subvert and corrupt the evidence. Russia has now taken over the role that Canada played for so many years in promoting discredited industry-funded and industry-controlled research. The WHO has specifically recognized the subversion of scientific research by the tobacco industry; the FCTC requires everyone involved in health issues to guard against and disallow any involvement of the tobacco industry, or any of its allies, in public health research and policy. Could such a convention help in controlling asbestos?