'Tip of the iceberg': 42 clusters of different diseases identified in 13 U.S. states, but researcher

[Donnachaidh]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1370984/Tip-iceberg-42-disease-clusters-13-U-S-states-researchers-believe-just-beginning.html#ixzz1IE0BvM2h

A worrying report claims there are 42 disease clusters across 13 states in the U.S. which include numerous types of cancer, birth defects and other chronic illnesses.

The study by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the National Disease Clusters Alliance drew on research by federal, state and local officials and peer reviewed academic studies.

They have warned that this is just the tip of the iceberg and that there are likely more in other states which will be revealed through further study.



The states that are affected are Texas, California, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, Delaware, Louisiana, Montana, Tennessee, Missouri and Arkansas.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1370984/Tip-iceberg-42-disease-clusters-13-U-S-states-researchers-believe-just-beginning.html#ixzz1IU1893ve

[aquart]

1. Recycled Columbia River water?

[SidDithers]

2. I would take any Daily Mail "science" reporting...

with a boulder sized chunk of salt.

Sid

[Donnachaidh]

3. reading is fundamental

"The study by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the National Disease Clusters Alliance drew on research by federal, state and local officials and peer reviewed academic studies."

:eyes:

[SidDithers]

5. I didn't comment on the study, but on the reporting of the study...

The Daily Mail is a terrible source.

Sid

[TheWraith]

4. I'd like to see a detailed workup of their methodology.

While "disease clusters" can sometimes result from environmental conditions, they can also be genuine statistical anomalies. For instance, if the national rate for a particular disease is 1 in 1000, and one town of a thousand people has three cases, that could be considered a "cluster." But it doesn't mean something caused it--it means that odds describe only the probability of something happening, not the possibility. It's ridiculously improbable for one person to get struck by lightning more than once, or to win the lottery multiple times, or to bump into an old friend they haven't seen in twenty years. But it happens.

It's likely that this information contains both types, particularly looking at this map. Some notes appear to describe genuinely unlikely clusters, while others lump together things as unrelated as breast cancer and spinal deterioration in order to try and find a "cluster."

Edit for a typo.

[SidDithers]

8. Here's a link to the actual report...

http://www.nrdc.org/health/diseaseclusters/

Sid

[Uben]

6. WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE !

.....eventually.

[KT2000]

12. Some sooner than others

and we should care about that. Childhood incidence of cancer is increasing.

[Coyote_Bandit]

7. Sensationalist reporting

I would perhaps give it some credence if it simply listed a source where one could find a list of all those clusters.

[Lars39]

9. The info about Dickson, TN is correct.

iirc, contaminated water was involved.

[iemitsu]

10. all of these clusters are caused by environmental issues.

and the author is right that this is just the tip of the iceberg.
industry does not want the dots to be connected for fear we would increase regulation.

[KT2000]

11. They NEVER find

a link to environmental causes. That is just how it is done. Of course they will conduct investigations but the result is ALWAYS - no link has been found. On and on it goes.

[Le Taz Hot]

13. They "forgot"

Kettleman City in California.

http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/whats-happening-babies-kettleman-city-4451

[Lisa0825]

14. Disease Clusters in Some Selected States

http://www.nrdc.org/health/diseaseclusters/

I found the above link at Dr Solomon's blog.

[Curmudgeoness]

15. I hate stories like this. They list all these states, but

there is no information and no link to information for any but a few instances that they list.

[intaglio]

16. In Respect of the Daily Mail

I refer people yet again to the fine dissection, in song, of this papers verity.

The Daily Mail Song