On January 26, 2000, the doors of the IAS were opened for victims of mesothelioma for the first time. 15 years later, the IAS received 7000 applications from this group of asbestos victims. In addition, the IAS receives more than 150 applications from asbestosis patients. In recent years, these applications have been dealt with to a very large extent and in 80% of cases this results in compensation for the victim. On the 26th of January 2015, the Council Chamber of the SER will look at the past years and, in particular, look to the future. Several questions will be discussed during this lustrum congress.
First of all, questions and visions from the policy world about new limit values and possible new forms of cooperation. Followed by reflections on the epidemiology of asbestos diseases and developments in the medical field. Furthermore, the IAS itself is discussed. How does the institute function and how can it (still) be better in the future. Together a kaleidoscope of subjects, treated in a compressed way in the afternoon hours by a variety of speakers. At the end of the lustrum congress, the prof. Job de Ruiter prize will be awarded to someone who has made himself very deserving in the field.
What did we learn on January 26, 2015? In the first place, hard work is being done in all kinds of areas in our society to solve problems caused by the large-scale use of asbestos in the past. All that attention is very necessary, because our country is still full of asbestos. The figures presented during the congress speak volumes. For example, there are still 100 million m2 of asbestos roof, 35,000 km of water pipes, and 700,000 tonnes of asbestos in buildings. In 60% of all social rented housing is asbestos. How to remediate all this without risks? And how to prevent asbestos exposure in general in the coming years? In order to be able to answer these questions properly, a broadly supported sense of urgency is first and foremost necessary. The speakers who speak about this item radiate this feeling. The new chairman of the SER Mariëtte Hamer shows the way with a sound story about the new, far-reaching limit values, which have come about after much discussion. In his contribution, Search Director Udo Waltman points to the great importance of increased cooperation in the asbestos sector. This has already led to a lot of remediation and provides a solid basis for achieving much more in the coming years. The important role of the government in this is underlined by plv. Director-General Mark Roscam Abbing. This has already led to a lot of remediation and provides a solid basis for achieving much more in the coming years. The important role of the government in this is underlined by plv. Director-General Mark Roscam Abbing. This has already led to a lot of remediation and provides a solid basis for achieving much more in the coming years. The important role of the government in this is underlined by plv. Director-General Mark Roscam Abbing.
Despite all the above efforts, many people will still face a very serious asbestos disease in the coming years. Prof. dr. Dick Heederik from the University of Utrecht and Simone Aarendonk from the IAS have made no mistake about this. In 2035 (!), According to the latest predictions, there are still 250 mesothelioma victims, as well as 250 lung cancer patients, partly as a result of asbestos exposure in relatively new professions and sectors. How many of these asbestos victims can be treated successfully by then? Dr Sjaak Burgers of the NKI-AVL shows in his contribution not too optimistic about the mesothelioma victims. This partly on the basis of the relatively small research that takes place in this area to date. Unfortunately enough work for the IAS. That is also the conclusion of the chairman of the SVB Nicoly Vermeulen, who would like to extend the successful collaboration with the IAS to other occupational diseases. In the contributions of Berber Laarman from the VU University and Prof. Siewert Lindenbergh, the importance of the IAS mission is underlined once again by means of interviews with asbestos victims, in order to operate as carefully, quickly and with low threshold as possible. Everything should be geared towards that in the future. to operate as carefully, quickly and with low threshold as possible. Everything should be geared towards that in the future. to operate as carefully, quickly and with low threshold as possible. Everything should be geared towards that in the future.
Finally, the prof. Job de Ruiter prize is awarded for the third time. In 2010, Job de Ruiter received the prize as the spiritual father of the IAS, in 2012 TNO researcher Jan Tempelman received this prize. Now the honor falls to lung doctor Sjaak Burgers for his large and broad commitment in this area as coordinator of the expert group Mesotheliomen of the NVALT and as founder / coordinator of the Dutch Asbestosis Panel. The chairman of the IAS board Rob van der Heijden, in his congratulations to the address of Dr. Burgers, is extremely pleased with the great efforts of the doctors in the field of asbestos and mesothelioma in our country. In particular he mentions the coordinator of the NMP prof. Van de Vijver, the former chairman of the working group Mesotheliomas prof. Paul Baas and dr. Gonnie Voogt, from the start in 2000 the medical advisor of the IAS. Whose deed!
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