Revitalising Attention on the Global Asbestos Disaster – Dr Jukka Takala, et al.
Original Article Reference
This SciPod is a summary of the paper ‘Global Asbestos Disaster’, from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15051000
Share Episode
About this episode
In developed countries, we are broadly aware of the dangers of asbestos and the risks it poses if discovered in our living or working environments. It may be shocking to learn that asbestos still causes an estimated 255,000 deaths annually worldwide, with the vast majority – 89% – from work-related exposure. Although asbestos is banned in 55 countries, it is still widely used in the developing world, and over two million tonnes are consumed annually, leading to what Dr Jukka Takala, President of the International Commission of Occupational Health, and an international team of authors describe as a global asbestos disaster.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
What does this mean?
Share: You can copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
Adapt: You can change, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
Credit: You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.
Related episodes
Addressing antimalarial drug resistance in Africa to ensure patients can continue to be saved
We are pleased to be joined by Dorothy Achu, Regional Malaria Adviser, WHO African Region; Aimable Mbituyumuremyi, Director, National Malaria Control Program, Ministry of Health, Rwanda; Adam Aspinall, Senior Director, Access and Product Management, and George Jagoe, Executive Vice-President Medicines for Malaria Venture. To learn about antimalarial drug resistance in Africa to ensure patients can continue to be saved.
Dr Kerstin Kleinschmidt-Doerr | Could R399E Become a Promising Treatment for Restoring Joints and Relieving Pain in Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a painful and progressive joint disorder that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Typically, the options for treating the condition involve exercise or medication to reduce pain. However, these methods do not target the underlying structural problems in the joints of patients. Recently, researchers have uncovered a genetic susceptibility to osteoarthritis associated with a protein called GDF5, which is involved in skeletal growth and development. Alongside a team of scientists across Europe, Dr Kerstin Kleinschmidt-Doerr at Merck has explored a modified form of the GDF5 protein, named R399E, which showed effects in animal models and in-vitro experiments for treating pain and the underlying structural problems in osteoarthritis.
Dr Xiaomu Li | Understanding Diabetes: Revealing the Links Between High Blood Pressure and Insulin Resistance
Cases of type 2 diabetes are on the rise around the world, so gaining a deeper understanding of this chronic condition is vital to ensure early diagnosis and good outcomes for patients. Dr Xiaomu Li and her colleagues at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University are conducting important research to understand the risk factors associated with developing type 2 diabetes. Their findings will help healthcare providers to identify patients at high risk of diabetes, enabling early diagnosis and targeted interventions to prevent the development of the condition.
Dr Millie Nakatsuka | Decoding Dizziness in the Emergency Room
Acute vestibular syndrome is one of the most common reasons people present at hospital with dizziness. The symptoms can arise from damage within the brain or the ear, and specialist medical knowledge or equipment is typically needed to determine the specific cause. Dr Nakatsuka from the University of Sydney in Australia has conducted a large-scale analysis and review of the published literature to determine whether well-trained emergency physicians can differentiate between the two causes, using a quick bedside physical examination without expensive special equipment.
Increase the impact of your research
• Good science communication encourages everyday people to be scientifically literate so that they can analyse the integrity and legitimacy of information.
• Good science communication encourages people into STEM-related fields of study and employment.
• Good public science communication fosters a community around research that includes both members of the public, policymakers and scientists.
• In a recent survey, 75% of people suggested they would prefer to listen to an interesting story than read it.

Step 1 Upload your science paper
Step 2 SciPod script written
Step 3 Voice audio recorded
Step 4 SciPod published