LAUSR

Many publications have been devoted to the epidemiology of asbestos exposure in Turkey. However, they have all focused on environmental exposure to “naturally occurring asbestos” (a natural component of soils or rocks), ignoring potential industrial asbestos exposure (1–4). Yet many industrial activities involved occupational asbestos exposure during Turkey’s industrialization, including construction, shipbuilding, and automotive manufacturing. Between 1900 and 2003, 1.2 million tons of asbestos were used in Turkish industry (5). The use of asbestos was officially banned in 2010. It is likely that many patients have been misclassified as having had environmental asbestos exposure instead of occupational exposure. This can explain why there have been, as far as we know, no recognized compensation claims with mesothelioma in Turkey. Increasing awareness of occupational causes for asbestos-related diseases will be a helpful starting point for medicolegal processes.