Hospital Parc Taulí opens Spain’s first multidisciplinary asbestos unit

The Hospital Parc Taulí in Sabadell, Catalonia, has established Spain’s first Multidisciplinary Asbestos Unit to serve people exposed to asbestos fibres. The pneumology department currently follows about 300 patients, but doctors say this is only "the tip of the iceberg".

The unit will coordinate care across primary services and specialised centres, create a pleural pathology clinic, and maintain a population‑wide registry to improve early diagnosis and research. Director of pneumology Manel Luján explained the goal is to provide a single care pathway and better study the health consequences of asbestos exposure, especially in the Vallès Occidental area, which hosted the former Uralita fibre‑cement factory that affected thousands of workers and residents.

The new structure will triage less severe cases to local specialised centres in Cerdanyola‑Ripollet and Sant Fèlix, while more complex cases will be referred to the hospital’s rapid‑cancer circuit, aiming for comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment and public education on asbestos risks.