NIOSH considers mesothelioma registry; seeks input | 2019-05-02 | Safety+Health Magazine

Washington — NIOSH is gauging the feasibility of a national registry intended to track cases of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer linked to on-the-job exposure to asbestos.

According to a Request for Information published in the April 8 Federal Register, the agency is asking for input on potential approaches to establishing and operating the registry, including data collection, confidentiality, enrollment and maintenance.

“The purpose of such a registry would be to collect information that could be used to develop and improve standards of care and to identify gaps in mesothelioma prevention and treatment,” NIOSH states in the RFI.

Mesothelioma affects the body’s tissues, usually in the linings of the chest, lungs or abdomen. “Treatments are limited and survival is generally poor,” the agency adds.

Comments on the RFI, which includes a series of 11 questions of particular interest to NIOSH, are due July 8.