Senate Bills - 109th Congress

S. 3274—The Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution (FAIR) Act of 2006

On May 26, 2006, Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) introduced the Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution (FAIR) Act of 2006. The bill, a revised version S. 852, also entitled the FAIR Act, would establish a trust fund to compensate victims of asbestos exposure. NIH provisions, identical to those in the reported version of S. 852, include a requirement that the agency contract with the IOM to complete two separate studies by April 1, 2006 [misprint]: (1) to determine if there is a causal link between asbestos exposure and cancers other than mesothelioma and lung cancers, including colorectal, laryngeal, esophageal, pharyngeal, and stomach cancers, and (2) to determine whether the medical profession accepts the use of CT scans as a tool to detect asbestos indicators and whether professional standards of practice exist for the Administrator of the Office of Asbestos Disease Compensation to rely on CT scan evidence. In addition, the bill would establish the National Mesothelioma Research and Treatment Program to investigate and advance the detection, prevention, treatment, and cure of malignant mesothelioma. Finally, S. 3274 would require the NIH Director to administer one or more research grants to qualified entities for studies that focus on better understanding the health risks of exposure to naturally occurring asbestos; these grants would be awarded through a competitive peer-reviewed, merit-based process. S. 3274 was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar.