“The Erin Brockovich Effect”

Parachuting in without actually touching toe? This time it’s a toxic-tort case in central Florida: “She has never set foot in Hillsborough County’s rural Plant City, but her name alone is influencing news coverage, attracting clients and conferring credibility to illness reports.” The suit alleges that Coronet Industries’ phosphate plant is responsible for a wide range of ills, including those of the lead claimant’s 3-year-old son, who suffers from autism and language disorders. (Ron Matus, “The Erin Brockovich effect: influence, inference”, St. Petersburg Times, Apr. 11). For much more on Brockovich, see Mar. 16, Jan. 3 and links from there, and our Oct. 2000 treatment.

One Comment

  • Errin’ at the podium

    The American Public Health Association isn’t going to enhance its reputation for dispassionate scientific rigor by inviting as its conference keynoter Erin Brockovich (more, more)….