Childhood Cancer Clusters in California’s Central Valley

Case Number: SLS No. 98-032

Title: Childhood Cancer Clusters in California’s Central Valley

Case Files:

Author: Flora Y. F. Chu, Lecturer; Barton H. (“Buzz”) Thompson, Jr., Robert E. Paradise Professor of Natural Resources Law

Abstract: This case study examines governmental investigations of two cancer clusters in the agricultural communities in California’s Central Valley. It focuses on the limitations of existing scientific tools to determine the causation of human diseases and raises policy issues of addressing community concerns of disease clusters and environmental health consequences in light of these difficulties.

Key Words: Environmental justice, environmental equity, distributive justice, equal protection, pesticides, cancer cluster, cancer cluster investigation, childhood cancer clusters, environmental contamination, hazard communication.