ADDRI at TSANZSRS Annual Scientific Meeting 2025: Silicosis.org.au unveiled and launch of specialist dust diseases multidisciplinary team
The 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) and the Australian and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science, held in Adelaide this March, provided the ideal platform for the first public unveiling of silicosis.org.au—Australia’s new, centralised online support hub for people impacted by silicosis and occupational dust exposure. Presented by the Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute (ADDRI), the Hub preview marked a key step towards its official launch during May.
About the hub – connecting people with support, sooner
The Silicosis Support Hub has been created to fill a critical gap for workers and families navigating silicosis. Too often, people are left to make sense of their diagnosis alone, unsure where to turn.
The Hub is designed to change that. It brings together:
- Easy-to-understand health information and translated resources
- Practical tools to help people navigate diagnosis, treatment and support systems
- Connections to counselling, compensation advice, and peer support
- Information for healthcare professionals working in dust disease
The aim? To ensure that no one affected by this preventable disease feels left in the dark.
Highlighting occupational COPD – Professor Deborah Yates' presentation
One of the most compelling sessions came on Day 1, with Professor Deborah Yates, ADDRI Expert Advisor and renowned respiratory physician, speaking on the pathogenesis of occupational COPD—a frequently overlooked condition caused by prolonged exposure to toxic dust in the workplace.
Professor Yates drew attention to the fact that up to 30% of COPD cases are occupational in origin, urging healthcare professionals to take more comprehensive work histories and improve early detection. The session served as a timely reminder that better awareness, policy, and practice can make a real difference for working people.
Announcing NSW’s first dust diseases multidisciplinary team (MDT)
In another significant development, ADDRI announced the upcoming NSW-wide Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) meeting for occupational and environmental dust diseases—set to launch in May 2025 in partnership with Concord Repatriation General Hospital and the NSW Government.
This MDT will help close a long-standing gap in care for dust disease patients. Many people are currently diagnosed at advanced stages, often through general respiratory clinics without specialist occupational health input.
The MDT will bring together a network of experts to:
- Facilitate earlier diagnosis
- Improve communication between medical teams
- Provide tailored, holistic care
- Ensure dust exposure history is embedded in clinical decision-making
Silicosis.org.au and the MDT: connected care for a complex disease
The Silicosis Support Hub will play a crucial role in supporting people who are referred through the MDT, providing a place to access ongoing support, tools and trusted guidance beyond the clinic walls.
Speaking during the TSANZ Innovator Session, ADDRI’s Associate Professor Anthony Linton presented alongside Professor Yates to outline how both initiatives—the MDT and the Hub—are designed to work hand-in-hand.
What’s next? Official launch coming soon
While the TSANZ conference marked the first public unveiling of silicosis.org.au, the Hub’s official launch event is scheduled for later this year, with key decision-makers and advocates joining ADDRI to mark this important step in improving patient support nationwide.
In the meantime, the site is live and available for anyone needing help, information, or guidance.
If you or someone you care about is living with silicosis or concerned about dust exposure, visit silicosis.org.au to explore the Hub.
