It appears Cardno ChemRisk may have been engaged to work for a talc defendant. Or maybe the company just sees a booming litigation topic ahead. Either way, pasted below is the link to and abstract for a new article by three of Cardno’s scientists, and a University of Michigan epidemiologist who is not David Garabrant. She is Rebecca Hazan, who this spring obtained a Masters in Public Health from the University of Michigan, previously interned for Cardno, and also consults for biotech, according to her LinkedIn profile.
J Appl Toxicol. 2016 Jul 11. doi: 10.1002/jat.3356. [Epub ahead of print]
Anthophyllite asbestos: state of the science review.
Gaffney SH1, Grespin M2, Garnick L1, Drechsel DA2, Hazan R3, Paustenbach DJ4, Simmons BD1.
1Cardno ChemRisk, San Francisco, CA, 94105, USA.
2Cardno ChemRisk, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA.
3Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
4Cardno ChemRisk, Jackson, WY, 83002, USA.
“Abstract
Anthophyllite is an amphibole form of asbestos historically used in only a limited number of products. No published resource currently exists that offers a complete overview of anthophyllite toxicity or of its effects on exposed human populations. We performed a review focusing on how anthophyllite toxicity was understood over time by conducting a comprehensive search of publicly available documents that discussed the use, mining, properties, toxicity, exposure and potential health effects of anthophyllite. Over 200 documents were identified; 114 contained relevant and useful information which we present chronologically in this assessment. Our analysis confirms that anthophyllite toxicity has not been well studied compared to other asbestos types. We found that toxicology studies in animals from the 1970s onward have indicated that, at sufficient doses, anthophyllite can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Studies of Finnish anthophyllite miners, conducted in the 1970s, found an increased incidence of asbestosis and lung cancer, but not mesothelioma. Not until the mid-1990s was an epidemiological link with mesothelioma in humans observed. Its presence in talc has been of recent significance in relation to potentialasbestos exposure through the use of talc-containing products. Characterizing the health risks of anthophyllite is difficult, and distinguishing between its asbestiform and non-asbestiform mineral form is essential from both a toxicological and regulatory perspective. Anthophyllite toxicity has generally been assumed to be similar to other amphiboles from a regulatory standpoint, but some notable exceptions exist. In order to reach a more clear understanding of anthophyllite toxicity, significant additional study is needed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.”