Response to: ‘Reanalysis of non-occupational exposure to asbestos and the risk of pleural mesothelioma’ by Finkelstein

While Quebec Public Health reported a total of 10 cases who resided in the region at time of diagnosis, the report cited an unpublished 2001 study by Siemiatycki et al, titled Comparaison du risque de mésothéliome de la plèvre entre les régions minières et les autres régions de la province, that identified seven additional women who were domestically exposed, however not residing in the region at diagnosis. [...]the only documentation of the 17 cases in the Quebec report, which was cited as Finkelstein’s primary reference, was a sum of 10 cases identified by Quebec Public Health5 and 7 cases identified by Siemiatycki. [...]Finkelstein did not cite or acknowledge the Siemiatycki report, nor did he indicate how he derived the 95% CI associated with the relative risk (RR) that was necessary for his analysis. [...]Finkelstein’s findings are not reproducible based on the available information.