Minnesota Department of Health

News Release

June 20, 2007

Contact information

Statement by Commissioner of Health Dianne Mandernach regarding release of mesothelioma data

As the head of Minnesota’s lead public health agency, I want to apologize for delaying the release of information about the deaths of 35 miners from mesothelioma.

With the benefit of hindsight, we should have provided this information earlier. It was clearly the right thing to do.

When we became aware of the additional deaths, we immediately began weighing options for conducting the kind of research that would provide answers to the questions raised by these deaths. We wanted to address some of the concerns that have long surrounded the occurrence of this illness in northeastern Minnesota, not merely raise more unanswered questions.

We had wanted to release the data about the deaths along with our research plan so that we could assure the mining community we were doing everything possible to respond to the mesothelioma deaths we had identified.

That process took longer than expected, but we should have released the information sooner, with or without a plan of action.

We are now seeking funding from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to conduct a comprehensive study on the mesothelioma deaths. We hope our research will clear up the scientific uncertainty that still exists about the role of the mineral fibers found in taconite ore in causing mesothelioma.

We will talk with concerned legislators about this matter, and we are making a commitment to release important information about the health of Minnesotans in a timely and transparent manner in the future.

The Minnesota Department of Health has long been recognized as one of the leading public health institutions in the country. I hope that the people of Minnesota will accept my apology. I will do everything I can to maintain the department’s credibility, and above all, to preserve the excellent reputation that this agency has earned.

-MDH-

For more information, contact:

John Stieger
MDH Communications
(651) 201-4998

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