Prevention and control of occupational lung disease

Prevention is the ultimate purpose of efforts to identify and understand occupational lung diseases. A major challenge for this decade will be the effective implementation of preventive programs which allow utilization of the developing information base on incidence and pathogenesis. Much of the basic methodology for prevention has yet to be developed, and many basic social and philosophic decisions will be forthcoming. It is clear that prevention of occupational lung disease will require a cooperative effort among pulmonary physicians, occupational physicians, epidemiologists, industrial hygienists, basic researchers, toxicologists, government regulators and members of many other disciplines.