Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases continue to be urgent public health concerns in Libby, Montana, where the Center for Asbestos Related Disease (CARD) has provided essential clinical services since 2002. In June 2025, renowned physicians, scientists, and asbestos experts gathered in Libby for a screening, outreach, and education retreat. While there, they reaffirmed the critical
The USS Balao (SS-285) was the lead vessel of the renowned Balao-class submarine fleet created for World War II and that served throughout the Cold War era. The class and the vessel itself were remarkably effective, but their legacy was marred by the widespread presence of asbestos within its structure and systems that endangered the health of thousands of
The USS Atule (SS-403) was a Balao-class submarine that earned four battle stars for her service during World War II combat operations. Known as “O’Toole” by her crew, the vessel then served the Navy through the Cold War before being decommissioned in 1970. Unfortunately, her military achievements were counterbalanced by the ship having exposed hundreds
The USS Argonaut (SS-475) was a Balao-class submarine that operated in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1968. Like most of the Navy fleet ordered before and during World War II and beyond, the vessel was built with extensive amounts of asbestos and equipped with asbestos-containing equipment. Exposure to that carcinogenic material put hundreds of Navy
The USS Alexander Hamilton (SSBN-617) was a Lafayette-class ballistic missile submarine that operated from 1963 to 1993. While she boasted cutting-edge technology that defended America for three decades, the extensive incorporation of asbestos materials throughout her construction posed severe health hazards for the estimated 2,800 sailors who served aboard. These veterans now face increased risk of developing mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung
The USS Fiske (DD-842) was a Gearing-class destroyer that served the U.S. Navy from the end of World War II until its final decommissioning in 1980. The vessel contained significant amounts of asbestos-containing materials, which exposed countless naval personnel who sailed on her to the toxic, carcinogenic material. Crew members who worked aboard the vessel, as well as
The USS Von Steuben (SSBN-632) was part of America’s submarine-launched ballistic missile fleet, which served over three decades of Cold War tensions. From 1964 to 1994, this nuclear submarine played a vital role, maintaining strategic deterrence as part of the Navy’s “41 for Freedom” program. Like all vessels of her era, the Von Steuben’s construction made use
The FDA’s recent approval of subcutaneous pembrolizumab (Keytruda Qlex) for solid tumors means that mesothelioma patients will have a more convenient treatment option available to them. Subcutaneous treatments can be administered quickly under the skin rather than through time-consuming intravenous infusions. The approval covers all types of solid tumor cancers for which intravenous pembrolizumab has
The USS Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) was a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine that operated for the United States Navy for two decades. Like other vessels constructed during the Cold War era, the Theodore Roosevelt was built using extensive amounts of asbestos-containing materials for the purpose of protecting the craft and its crew. Years later, the dangers
The USS Ulysses S. Grant (SSBN-631) served the United States Navy from 1964 to 1992. The vessel exemplified the “41 for Freedom” ballistic missile submarine program that formed the backbone of America’s nuclear triad during the Cold War. Despite its many successes, the asbestos contamination onboard the Ulysses S. Grant put hundreds of naval personnel at heightened risk of