Research Into Respiratory Disease Prescriptions Commissioned by the IIAC

On 3^rd June 2025 the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) published research undertaken by the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) in relation to selected malignant and non-malignant respiratory diseases (lung cancer and COPD; other respiratory diseases such as asthma and various types of pneumoconiosis were excluded).

The research was commissioned in circumstances where the current list of prescribed diseases may not always reflect modern working practices and environments.  The aim was to inform any future update or expansion of the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) scheme.  

The following six exposure/disease combinations were investigated;

• Silica and COPD;
  
• Silica and Lung Cancer (especially in the absence of silicosis);
  
• Cleaning and COPD;
  
• Farming and COPD;
  
• Chromium VI Compounds and Lung Cancer;
  
• Asbestos and Lung Cancer (especially in the absence of asbestosis).

The seven reports produced by the IOM can be found at the link below;

A review of the evidence for malignant and non-malignant respiratory disease prescriptions commissioned by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) – GOV.UK

Whilst acknowledging the evidential limitations in respect of some of the research, the IIAC notes the IOM’s suggestions relating to the revision of the wording of several of the prescriptions and for further work and investigation to be undertaken.

The absence of any recommendation for currently extending the prescriptions for lung cancer and COPD are also noted. 

It remains to be seen what further investigations are commissioned by the IIAC and how this may effect the IIDB scheme in the future.