People currently suffering from black lung disease are 10 times more than the number reported by federal regulators, say the recent reports.
According to National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), about 99 cases of progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) or black lung disease are detected across the country between August 2011 and July 2016. The data collected by Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program include 19 people from Kentucky.
Increasing Black Lung Cases In Kentucky
However, a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) from NIOSH noted that about 60 black lung cases were reported in coal miners from eastern Kentucky in a single radiology practice from January 2015 to August 2016.
It is revealed in the report that a board-certified radiologist who is also a NIOSH-certified B Reader from eastern Kentucky called the attention of NIOSH on increasing pneumoconiosis cases in the region between Jan. 1, 2015 and Aug. 17, 2016.
NIOSH Verifies The Information On Black Lung
NIOSH personnel that traveled to Pike County, Kentucky verified the radiographs of the patients and confirmed that 60 men were suffering from PMF. About 49 radiographs were found to be taken in 2016. Furthermore, about 56 miners were from Kentucky and 48 of them lived in the four counties Floyd, Knott, Letcher, and Pike that are the part of the central Appalachian coalfield.
"The findings in this report serve as a reminder that more than 45 years after the Coal Act's passage, one of its core objectives has not been achieved," noted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the MMWR.
Meanwhile, a report from NPR published on Dec. 16 has noted that about 962 cases of black lung are reported in 11 clinics in West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania over the past 10 years. It is also clarified in the report that the real number of cases could be exceeding the mentioned figure as number of clinics had incomplete data and some refused to provide the required information.
Experts' Opinion On The Data
Robert Cohen, a pulmonologist from University of Illinois said that he is "frightened" about the data on black lung and added that he hasn't heard anything worse than this in his career.
Edward "Lee" Petsonk from West Virginia University who dedicated 30 years of his life addressing black lung disease said that the figure is very much disappointing.
Petsonk who is very disheartened about the alarming data added that he has spent his life for protecting miners from the deadly disease but at last it turned out that he has almost failed in his task.
