The Montana Missoulian has reported that a free health-surveillance program for screening Libby residents for asbestos-related diseases is closing because of a lack of federal funds.
The program, called Montana Asbestos Screening and Surveillance Activities (MASSA), was started in 2003 after evidence showed a widespread asbestos contamination in Libby.
A vermiculite mine owned by W.R. Grace and Co.was shown to be contaminated with asbestos, the root of the sickness in the community; hundreds of citizens have been affected and many died. The MASSA program provided 4,500 free lung tests to around 3,100 Libby residents. In addition to the tests, patients were also interviewed and given breathing tests and chest X-rays.
While the program screened for asbestos, they never directly diagnosed an asbestos-related disease like asbestosis or mesothelioma. That was left up to the patient’s doctor, but hundreds of cases were discovered as a result of asbestos exposure from the mines.
While many participants of the screenings first learned of their asbestos-related disease because of the free screening, others learned of problems unrelated to asbestos that were discovered in the tests.
People aged 35 and under were eligible for free screenings every five years, those aged 35 to 45 could be screened every three years, and those over the age of 45 were screened every two years. However, those who directly worked at the vermiculite mine were screened on a more frequent basis.