Doctors’ Failure To Report Mesothelioma Cases -- MesoLink.org -- 03-23-05

A Danish Cancer Society report claims that less than 50 percent of mesothelioma cases ever make it as far as the National Board of Industrial Injuries, and the report has blamed doctors’ lack of use of procedures for the alarming figures. The report stated that doctors – the first point of contact for mesothelioma patients – fail to report the cases to the relevant authorities, which results in many cases never getting as far as the National Board of Industrial Injuries. Both doctors and dentists are supposed to report diseases that are work-related to authorities including the injury board and the Danish Working Environment Authority.

The Danish Cancer Society has expressed concern over this negligence, which results in many eligible patients missing out on high levels of compensation for their injuries. The report estimated that only 55 percent of cases had been reported between 1994 and 2002, and the cancer society has also estimated that only around 200 out of every 1,300 cases are ever reported. Danish Cancer Society CEO stated: "It's unfair that cancer patients lose millions of crowns in damages."

The National Board of Industrial Injuries has now been brought in to address the matter to minimize in this negligence, and eliminate the risk of mesothelioma patients that are entitled to compensation never actually seeing any money for their injuries. The National Board of Industrial Injuries has stated that a program to raise awareness will be looked into in order to try and reiterate the importance of reporting these injuries.