As reported by torinoggi.it newsroom, at the Health Regional Department of Comitato Strategico Amianto (Asbestos Strategic Committee) there has been a meeting with the aim of starting a national and European project, that can serve as a model for the study of mesothelioma, thanks to investments on preclinical research that allow to learn what causes this cancer and to identify new drugs and new treatments. At the meeting there were the Health Regional Councillor Antonio Saitta, the Environment Regional Councillor Alberto Valmaggia, the Director of the Hospital of Alessandria Giovanna Baraldi, the Director of the Local Health Unit of Alessandria Gilberto Gentili, the head of the Piedmont Asbestos Health Centre Massimo D’Angelo, the Mayor of Casale Monferrato Titti Palazzetti as the President of the Centre, and the representatives of the asbestos victims’ associations, of ARPA (Regional Environment Protection Agency) and of the trade unions.

The project, proposed by Associazione Familiari Vittime Amianto (Association of Asbestos Victims Families) that can count on a 3,8 million euro funding and will be lead by the Hospital of Alessandria, will involve the University of Turin and in particular the Department of Oncology, to which the research institutes of San Luigi di Orbassando, Candiolo and Le Molinette belong. The University of Turin will collaborate with these research institutes, as well as with the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, the Scientific Institute of Romagna for the Study and Treatment of Cancer, the Department of Translational Medicine and the Department of Health Sciences of the University of Eastern Piedmont. In this project revision, the Region of Piedmont will appoint a research scientific guarantor, whose task will be to ensure the functioning and the consistency of all the activities.

“We are putting in place the best skills at our disposal, to ensure high-quality work that can serve as a model not only at local level but also at national level. The institutions involved will be treated “on an equal footing”, and each of them will provide its knowledge and its skills. As a Region, we are gearing up to ensure the achievement of these goals”, said the Health Regional Councillor Saitta.

“It will be a broad-based work, but it will keep on having the Piedmont Asbestos Health Centre of Casale Monferrato and the Hospital of Alessandria as the reference point through the UFIM (Unità Funzionale Interaziendale Mesotelioma Ospedali di Alessandria e Casale Monferrato), that will be strengthened in order to ensure its efficiency over time. In this context, the appointment of the scientific guarantor as an example of trust, unity and feasibility will be extremely important”, points out the Director of the Hospital of Alessandria Baraldi.