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Dr. Irving J Selikoff
Widespread use of asbestos began around the turn of the 20th Century. Because no one knew the risks involved, workers generally had no safety equipment to keep them from inhaling the asbestos fibers or dust. Years later, many of those who had worked with asbestos began to contract a rare form of cancer called mesothelioma. One of the first physicians to recognize the link between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma was Dr. Irving J. Selikoff.
Born in 1915 in Brooklyn, New York, Dr. Selikoff graduated from Columbia University in 1935 before receiving a medical diploma from the Royal Colleges of Scotland in 1941. After further training in America, he chose to specialize in diseases of the chest. He and Dr. Edward Robitzek conducted a clinical trial in 1952 of the drug isoniazid, a cure for tuberculosis.
During the 1950s, Dr. Selikoff began his practice with the Paterson Clinic in Paterson, New Jersey. When the Asbestos Workers Union asked him to enroll their members as part of his general practice, he agreed. Within a few years, however, he noticed that these new patients represented a disproportionate number of mesothelioma cases. He began to research the link between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma, and then published his findings, resulting in greater public awareness.
In the 1960s, Dr. Selikoff's findings were not welcomed by all. During this time period, asbestos was viewed as a very useful material due to its fire retardant properties. It was widely used in a variety of products such as insulation, automobile brakes, and roofing materials. The asbestos manufacturers initially fought to protect their interests in a very profitable industry. Dr. Selikoff was accused of falsifying his findings and even of faking his medical degree, but the 1980s, however, the number of mesothelioma patients and additional research had proven him correct.
Largely as a result of his efforts, new regulations were enacted to protect workers from exposure. The link between asbestos and mesothelioma had been suspected for several decades, and some physicians before Dr. Selikoff had attempted to inform the public of the risks. However, the asbestos industry was well organized, and data was suppressed, those conducting the findings subjected to threats and pressure and attempts were made to publicly discredit them. In the face of such tactics, most of them backed down. Dr. Selikoff, however, did not, and became more vocal with each passing year.
Just protecting workers from the threat of asbestos exposure was considered insufficient by Dr. Selikoff. He felt that the general population was at risk from asbestos that was already in place. He was particularly concerned for schoolchildren, since many schools were constructed during the years when asbestos was used most extensively in new construction. The removal program was only partially completed, and many schools still have asbestos in place. Not surprisingly, there are many scientists who have gone on the record as stating that not all asbestos is equally dangerous, and that in most instances removal poses a greater risk.
In 1982, Dr. Selikoff founded the Collegium Ramazzini, an international association of doctors and scientists dedicated to the study of environmental and occupational health. The Collegium has members in 30 countries, and one of its goals is to achieve a worldwide ban on asbestos products.
Dr. Selikoff became the director of Mount Sinai's Environmental and Occupational Health Division, a position he held for many years. The facility was renamed the Irving J. Selikoff Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine in his honor. He continued with his research on asbestos related diseases until he was 75. He passed away at the age of 77 in 1992.