Shell Compensation Will Pay for Cancer Studies in São Paulo

04/24/2015 - 09h34

A hundred thousand children in the region of Campinas city, in São Paulo, will be observed, from birth until the age of 18, by doctors from the Centro Infantil Boldrini, a leading hospital in child cancer treatment.

The study is coordinated by the World Health Organisation and includes 1 million children in eight countries.

The hospital located in Campinas only managed to start the research because it was benefited from the payment of part of a compensation of US$ 67 million (R$ 200 million) for collective damages in one of the biggest cases of environmental contamination in the country. The "Shell Case" occurred in the late 70's, in Paulínia (117 km from SP).

In addition, other four institutions - among them, the Hospital do Câncer, in Barretos – were the first to receive the money from the Labour Prosecutor's Office, which filed a lawsuit against companies Shell and Basf in 2007.

The research will analyse eating habits, the use of medicines, housing conditions and even the parents' work and relate the data to the incidence of cancer. Mothers will answer questionnaires while still pregnant.

According to the president of Boldrini hospital, Silvia Brandalise, if it wasn't for the funding the research would not be possible. The incidence of the disease in children and teenagers aged 0 to 18 is up to 13 cases per 100 thousand births. The entire project is budgeted at US$ 30 million (R$ 90 million) and new donations can be made.

Translated by JULIANA CALDERARI

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	Edson Silva/Folhapress
	The incidence of the disease in children and teenagers aged 0 to 18 is up to 13 cases per 100 thousand births