Breast cancer patients get landmark payout
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/17/breast-cancer-night-shifts-denmark>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/17/breast-cancer-night-shifts-denmark • Danish officials uphold night-shift link to disease • Charities wary about impact on UK * Marie Louise Sjølie in Copenhagen and Sarah Boseley * The Guardian, Tuesday 17 March 2009 * Article history <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/denmark>Denmark has begun compensating dozens of breast cancer sufferers who say their illness was brought on by working night shifts, setting a precedent that could have implications for compensation claims elsewhere in the world. Danish officials say the move was made following research published at the end of 2007 by the World Health Organisation's specialist cancer research unit which showed that women who work through the night on a regular basis could be more likely to develop cancer. "The results showed a likely correlation between breast cancer and working night shifts so we decided to react," says Birgitte Lyhne Broksø from the national board of industrial injuries. In all 38 women, all of whom have worked night shift patterns for more than 20 years, received compensation. Of those, seven who were nurses received between 30,000 and one million Danish kroner (£3,700 to £123,000) in compensation, after making their case to a board committee. Compensation could become easier, resulting in a flood of new claims, if further scientific evidence emerges linking cancer to night work. The WHO's international agency for research on cancer is expected to report on the issue imminently. Broksø said if the report produced harder proof of a cancer threat for night workers the national board of industrial injuries might reclassify breast cancer so a patient would not have to have their case scrutinised by the board committee. Currently, only patients who have worked night shifts for more than 20 years at least one night a week qualify for compensation. According to the National Board of Industrial Injuries it is difficult to say exactly how many patients will benefit if breast cancer is reclassified. Grethe Christensen, vice-president of the Danish nurses' organisation, is hopeful that the reclassification will happen. She also says the 20-year limit, for which she says there is no scientific basis, should be removed. Several nurses were among the 38 compensated. "We can't remove their illness but this is certainly a consolation," Christensen says. The international implications of the Danish precedent were unclear last night, particularly as the science underpinning the link between night work and cancer remains incomplete. But British breast cancer charities were cautious about similar claims gaining traction in Britain. Dr Sarah Cant, policy manager at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said there were studies showing that women on shift work - particularly nights - may have a slightly increased risk of developing breast cancer over women who do not. "Further research is needed to determine why shift work might affect breast cancer risk." <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/>Custom Faith-based U.S. Postage <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/theblog/join-the-network/>The Network Directory <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://astore.amazon.com/halthekin-20>Catholic on Amazon <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/on+allposters+today.html>on AllPosters today <*}}}>< + <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/>Holy Postage <*}}}>< <*}}}><<http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Half the <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Kingdom!<*}}}>< + "The fruit of abortion is nuclear war" - Bl. Mother Teresa + <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/>Custom Faith-based U.S. Postage <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/theblog/join-the-network/>The Network Directory <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://astore.amazon.com/halthekin-20>Catholic on Amazon <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/on+allposters+today.html>on AllPosters today <*}}}>< + <*}}}>< <http://www.holypostage.com/>Holy Postage <*}}}>< <*}}}><<http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Half the <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Kingdom!<*}}}>< + "The fruit of abortion is nuclear war" - Bl. Mother Teresa + --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Please note that I do not send or open attachments sent to this list. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Catholics on Fire" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Catholics-on-Fire May the blessing of Jesus and our Blessed Mother be with you -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
