Research into Malignant and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease Prescriptions
Summary
The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council published an independent literature review commissioned from the Institute of Occupational Medicine on selected work-related malignant and non-malignant respiratory diseases. The Phase 3 Summary Report and supplementary analyses on Silica and COPD, and Silica and Lung Cancer are available. This research examines occupational exposure links to respiratory disease prescriptions within the UK's industrial injuries benefits framework.
What changed
The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council published Phase 3 research findings examining evidence linking occupational exposures to malignant and non-malignant respiratory diseases, including analyses of silica exposure and COPD and lung cancer outcomes. Multiple supporting documents including data extraction spreadsheets and reference lists are available.
Healthcare providers, occupational health specialists, and government agencies should monitor these research findings as they may inform future recommendations on occupational disease prescriptions within the UK's industrial injuries scheme. No immediate compliance obligations arise from this evidence review publication.
What to do next
- Monitor for updates on IIAC research findings
Archived snapshot
Apr 16, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Independent report
A review of the evidence for malignant and non-malignant respiratory disease prescriptions commissioned by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC)
The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) commissioned the Institute of Occupational Medicine to carry out a review of the published literature on selected work-related malignant and non-malignant respiratory diseases.
From: Industrial Injuries Advisory Council Published 3 June 2025 Get emails about this page
Documents
Research into Malignant and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease Prescriptions: Phase 3 Summary Report
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Research into Malignant and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease Prescriptions: Phase 3 Summary Report
PDF, 430 KB, 17 pages
Silica and COPD report: Research into Malignant and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease Prescriptions
HTML
Silica and COPD report: Research into Malignant and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease Prescriptions
PDF, 461 KB, 17 pages
Silica and COPD report: Data extraction spreadsheet
ODS, 21.1 KB
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Silica and COPD report: List of all the references considered
ODS, 17.8 KB
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Silica and Lung Cancer report: Research into Malignant and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease Prescriptions
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Silica and Lung Cancer report: Research into Malignant and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease Prescriptions
PDF, 889 KB, 29 pages
Silica and Lung Cancer report: Data extraction spreadsheet
ODS, 37.7 KB
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Silica and Lung Cancer report: List of all the references considered
ODS, 102 KB
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Silica and Lung Cancer report: Table 2.1. Cohort studies of silica and lung cancer
PDF, 185 KB, 4 pages
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Silica and Lung Cancer report: Table 2.2 Case-control studies of crystalline silica and lung cancer
PDF, 234 KB, 9 pages
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Cleaning Products and COPD report: Research into Malignant and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease Prescriptions
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Cleaning Products and COPD report: Research into Malignant and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease Prescriptions
PDF, 409 KB, 13 pages
Cleaning products and COPD report: Data extraction spreadsheet
ODS, 8.16 KB
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Cleaning products and COPD report: List of all the references considered
ODS, 26.1 KB
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Agriculture and COPD report: Research into Malignant and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease Prescriptions
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Agriculture and COPD report: Research into Malignant and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease Prescriptions
PDF, 527 KB, 16 pages
Agriculture and COPD report: Data extraction spreadsheet
ODS, 16.1 KB
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Agriculture and COPD report: List of all the references considered
ODS, 54 KB
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Chromium VI and Lung Cancer report: Research into Malignant and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease Prescriptions
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Chromium VI and Lung Cancer report: Research into Malignant and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease Prescriptions
PDF, 545 KB, 24 pages
Chromium VI and COPD report: Data extraction spreadsheet
ODS, 12.5 KB
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Chromium VI and COPD report: List of all the references considered
ODS, 50.6 KB
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Chromium VI and Lung Cancer report: Table 2.1. Cohort studies of chromium IV and lung and respiratory cancer
PDF, 179 KB, 8 pages
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Asbestos and Lung Cancer report: Research into Malignant and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease Prescriptions
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Asbestos and Lung Cancer report: Research into Malignant and Non-malignant Respiratory Disease Prescriptions
PDF, 596 KB, 26 pages
Asbestos and COPD report: Data extraction spreadsheet
ODS, 69.3 KB
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Asbestos and COPD report: List of all the references considered
ODS, 37.1 KB
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Asbestos and Lung Cancer report: Table 2.1. Case-control studies of asbestos exposure and lung cancer
PDF, 390 KB, 12 pages
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Asbestos and Lung Cancer report: Table 2.2. Cohort studies of asbestos exposed populations and lung cancer and mesothelioma
PDF, 272 KB, 3 pages
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Asbestos and Lung Cancer report: Table 2.3. Summary of asbestos cohort study design characteristics
PDF, 398 KB, 12 pages
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Details
The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) is aware that the current list of prescribed diseases does not always reflect modern work practices given the increasing complexity of some working environments such as in the construction industry, and the introduction of new materials and practices as with the handling of artificial/composite stone that contains a high percentage of silica. Many of these changes have potential impacts on lung diseases such as cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Currently, cancer of the lung is prescribed in relation to exposure to several exposures or occupations including arsenic, nickel, asbestos, tin mining, coke oven work and silica with accompanying silicosis. COPD is currently only prescribed in relation to coal mining.
Against this background of changing work practices and exposures, IIAC commissioned the Institute of Occupational Medicine to carry out a comprehensive review and evaluation of the literature on selected work-related malignant and non-malignant respiratory diseases (lung cancer and COPD; other respiratory diseases such as asthma and various types of pneumoconiosis were excluded). The aim was to inform any future update or expansion of the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) scheme.
The review was planned in two substantive phases. The purpose of the first phase was to use existing published reviews (and, if relevant, large epidemiological studies) to identify key industries, occupations and exposures associated with lung cancer and COPD. The second phase was to update recent reviews of epidemiological literature or, where necessary, carry out a new review of the epidemiological literature on priority exposures, occupations and/or industries as agreed with the Council.
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has critically reviewed a substantial literature on six important respiratory disease/exposure combinations and the findings provide IIAC with a strong basis for taking the issues forward. IIAC notes the comments by IOM concerning the limitations of the evidence-base in relation to several of the topics. Some additional information might be available from general population studies and studies of lung function abnormalities that were outside the scope of this review. Changes in occupational exposures with time might limit the application of some of the findings in relation to current and future generations of IIDB claimants. IIAC notes the suggestions relating to the revision of the wording of several of the prescriptions and the absence of any recommendation by IOM about currently extending prescriptions (for lung cancer and COPD). Finally, IIAC notes the recommendations regarding future work and will consider these individually and prioritise them in relation to its other work.
Published 3 June 2025 Get emails about this page Print this page
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