By Mark G. Zellmer of Husch Blackwell LLP

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The linear no threshold model of carcinogenesis (LNT) assumes that all exposures to carcinogens, including asbestos, cause irreversible and, hence, cumulative damage to DNA at the lowest possible doses when viewed in proportion to the amount of exposure. The model is the basis for the claim that no dose of asbestos, or any carcinogen, is safe, even at the lowest dose. Consistent with the model’s expression of cumulative damage and with the claim of no safe dose, plaintiffs argue that every exposure to asbestos …