Apology from Minnesota Health Commissioner for Delay in the Release of Mesothelioma Data

The health commissioner of Minnesota has apologized for the delay in releasing news about additional mesothelioma cases among Iron Range workers of Minnesota. The health commission of Minnesota, Dianne Mandernach, apologized during a four hour public hearing that was held on Tuesday, 26th June 2007.

In this public hearing, some lawmakers debated if Minnesota’s governor was also involved in the decision that led to withholding of this important information of additional mesothelioma cases from the people of Minnesota.

Being a deadly form of cancer, mesothelioma has been attributed to asbestos exposure and to date, 58 cases of mesothelioma have been diagnosed in Iron Range miners, six of which came to light last week only.
The controversy that has led the health department of Minnesota to be looked upon in anger and feelings of resentment is the delayed release of mesothelioma data that involved 35 cases identified by the health department in March 2006 that was not released to public till March 2007.

According to the health commissioner, Dianne Mandernach, her department delayed the release as they were waiting for the federal funds to begin the research to find out if the taconite dust was the cause of rising mesothelioma cases, as suspected. An expert of Environmental Sciences from the University of Minnesota, who also attended the hearing, said that the state should focus its research on measuring the level of asbestos-like fibers in the taconite dust that is being considered as a major risk factor for mesothelioma and ask the mining companies to adopt practices to reduce dust and adopt safety measures. Despite the apology from the health department, people still harbor anger and bitterness against them for hiding facts and endangering lives of the residents to mesothelioma cancer.

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