Founded in the early 1900s, J.H. France Refractories Company made asbestos materials designed to withstand extremely high temperatures. Today, the Pennsylvania-based company is known as Snow Shoe Refractories, Incorporated. Although it faced many lawsuits over the years for asbestos exposure, it never went into bankruptcy and never started an asbestos trust fund. J.H. France Refractories
The Harbison-Walker Refractories Company used asbestos in fireproof materials for furnaces and boilers. Asbestos exposure led to thousands of lawsuits and expensive settlements. Halliburton, the parent company of Harbison-Walker, formed a multi-billion dollar asbestos trust to handle compensation for victims. About Harbison-Walker Harbison-Walker Refractory Company changed its name in 2015, becoming HarbisonWalker International. This most
Founded in 1866, H.K. Porter Inc. used asbestos to manufacture locomotives and their components, as well as other industrial machinery, equipment, tools, and parts. Because of that early use, the company faced several asbestos and mesothelioma lawsuits. The financial and legal burden of those lawsuits eventually led to bankruptcy and an asbestos trust fund. H.K.
Gold Bond and National Gypsum Company began making building materials in the 1920s, using asbestos in them for decades. Many people who worked with this brand of gypsum wallboard later became sick, and the company faced thousands of lawsuits as a result. About Gold Bond and National Gypsum Today, National Gypsum is the second-largest gypsum
General Motors (GM) once used asbestos in parts, which caused exposure and illness in thousands of workers. Asbestos use in car parts was common through the 1980s. GM has faced numerous asbestos and mesothelioma lawsuits and created an asbestos trust fund to compensate victims. About General Motors For many years, General Motors was the largest
General Electric (GE) is an enormous conglomerate corporation born from the inventions of Thomas Edison and with operations in a wide range of industries. Many of these have included asbestos, and the company has faced thousands of lawsuits over exposure. About the General Electric Company General Electric is a huge company with a long industrial
Sutent (sunitinib) is an oral medication approved to treat carcinoid tumors and kidney cancer, which is different from standard chemotherapy. Recent studies show this drug could help some patients with mesothelioma. Continued research is needed to discover biomarkers that could determine which patients would benefit from Sutent. What Is Sutent? Sutent is the brand name
Rheumatrex (methotrexate) suppresses the immune system and is often used to treat autoimmune disorders. It shows promise as a chemotherapeutic agent for mesothelioma. More research is needed to determine how effective methotrexate may be for mesothelioma treatment and if it is safe to put patients at risk for more infections. What Is Methotrexate? Methotrexate is
Navelbine (vinorelbine) is a chemotherapy drug and cancer treatment. It slows tumor growth by preventing cancer cells from dividing. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Navelbine for treating certain non-small cell lung cancer cases, but it can also be used with some mesothelioma patients. What Is Navelbine? Navelbine is the brand name of
Onconase (ranpirnase) is a novel agent being tested as a treatment for mesothelioma and other uses. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved it for any use, but it may help manage mesothelioma. Rather than a potential cure, Onconase is an enzyme that stabilizes cancer cells and prevents tumor growth, slowing