Lung cancer humidifier disinfectant damage first admitted...Relief after individual review

The relics of victims of the humidifier disinfectant disaster are placed at a campaign and press conference for the 12th anniversary of the humidifier disinfectant disaster held on the stairs in front of Seoul Station on the 31st of last month.

Lung cancer was recognized as a humidifier disinfectant damage.

According to multiple media reports, the Ministry of Environment said at the 36th Humidifier Sterilizer Damage Relief Committee held at a conference room near Seoul Station on the afternoon of the 5th that it has decided to recognize and relieve the damage of one person who died of lung cancer after exposure to humidifier disinfectants.

In the meantime, lung cancer has not been recognized as a damage to humidifier disinfectants. The Ministry of Environment explained, "We have been holding off on the judgment because there is insufficient scientific evidence to recognize lung cancer as a damage to humidifier disinfectants."

Previously, there was one victim who was recognized for lung cancer damage in July 2021, but this case was recognized after reviewing the individual causal relationship because lung cancer occurred at a young age (20s) and there were no factors to explain the occurrence of lung cancer other than humidifier disinfectants, the Ministry of Environment added.

According to the Ministry of Environment, 206 people have been diagnosed with lung cancer among the applicants for humidifier disinfectant relief benefits so far.

Lung cancer was recognized as a damage to humidifier disinfectants by the results of a study on lung disease change observation by polyhexamethylene guanidine phosphate (PHMG), a component of humidifier disinfectants, conducted by the humidifier disinfectant health center at Korea University's Ansan Hospital from March 2021 to December last year. Evidence has been established that exposure to PHMG can lead to lung cancer.

According to the results of the study, lung inflammation and fibrosis were confirmed in all mice after 20 weeks, and lung malignancies occurred in one exposed 0.2 mg and 1.0 mg per kilogram, respectively, and in nine exposed 5.0 mg after 40 weeks, lung malignancies occurred. After 54 weeks, lung malignancies were confirmed in one 0.2 mg exposure, three 1.0 mg exposure, and 14 5.0 mg exposure.

The Ministry of Environment said, "Not all cases of lung cancer can be recognized for damage, and we will review the recognition of damage individually when an application comes in," adding, "We will not apply rapid screening because we cannot distinguish between cases where lung cancer occurs due to environmental and genetic factors and cases where lung cancer occurs due to humidifier disinfectants."

Rapid review is a method of quickly deciding to pay relief benefits with data on claims for medical care benefits under the National Health Protection Act.

Some say prompt screening should be applied for prompt relief. "If individual screening is conducted, lung cancer victims will have to wait for several years to be judged again," the Environmental Health and Citizens Center said at an online press conference on the day. "There will be a number of cases in which damage will not be recognized due to smoking or old age."

In particular, the center emphasized that occupational lung cancer is recognized as an industrial accident if you have a job history of exposure to substances that can cause lung cancer, such as benzene and asbestos, even if you are a smoker or an elderly person.

The damage relief committee decided to pay relief benefits to a total of 136 victims who were not recognized for their damages. In addition, 357 victims who were recognized for their damage but whose level of damage has not been determined have been determined. The committee increased the number of people eligible for relief benefits for humidifier disinfectants to 5,176.

Date: 2023-09-05

Reporter: 서화목