Roundup Cancer Claims
Roundup is a hidden force that’s behind many things we eat. It is so widely used that the herbicide became the most heavily-used agricultural chemical in the world.1 Americans alone have used about 1.8 millions tons of Roundup since it was first introduced in the 1970s.
Normally this would just be an interesting tidbit about the agricultural industry, but it may have real-world consequences on workers who are exposed to high levels of Roundup on a daily basis. Scientific evidence Courts around the country have accepted as admissible suggests a link between the popular weed killer and cancer – Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma specifically.
Those who suffered from the unexpected side effect Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma after using Roundup are pursuing product liability lawsuits against Monsanto and Bayer. The Roundup lawsuit has persisted for coming on ten years (about seven at the time of publishing).
Does Roundup Cause Cancer
Roundup Lawsuit UPDATES
Bayer-Monsanto has now lost three lawsuits in the state of California over its Roundup weed killer products. The next round of Roundup lawsuits are scheduled to be held in St. Louis, Missouri, the location of Bayer-Monsanto’s headquarters. There are currently 7 upcoming trials between August 2019 and February 2020. The next case will proceed on August 19th of this year and involves plaintiff Sharlean Gordon, who was diagnosed with cancer in her 50s and claims Roundup was the cause.
A verdict in May 2019 awarded $2 billion to a married couple who both developed lymphoma after using the product and another verdict awarded a man who also developed cancer $80 million in March 2019. In August 2018, a verdict of $289 million was made but later reduced to $78 million by the trial judge. The plaintiffs claimed that they were exposed to Roundup for years and have developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma due to the active ingredient glyphosate. Monsanto recently lost three jury verdicts and has several cases coming up at the same time as the company attempts to appeal prior verdicts.
Since then there has been a back-and-forth. Plaintiffs have gone on a streak, then Defendants have. Most recently, Plaintiffs obtained verdicts in California and Missouri (2023). In late 2023, Plaintiffs secured large verdicts in Philadelphia, including one billion dollar+ verdict. Defendants won in Arkansas in March 2024, and effectively won via a mistrial in DE that same time. Defendants won again, and for the first time in Philadelphia this March 2024. Check back for more Roundup lawsuits in 2025.
What is the latest news on the Roundup lawsuit?
Throughout 2024, each side traded wins and loses in Philadelphia and elsewhere. With a named partner and long-time product liability attorney at the helm, KBA is uniquely positioned to file lawsuits in Philadelphia. Our legal and trial team can take strong cases to trial as warranted.
The History of Roundup
Roundup is the brand name for a type of herbicide sold by Monsanto. Now, Bayer owns the product.
The active ingredient in the weed killer is called glyphosate. The chemical was first discovered by a scientist and chemist for the agrochemical corporation in 1970.2
Initially, marketers were unsure how to sell the herbicide since glyphosate was a non-selective herbicide, meaning it killed anything it touched. However, the herbicide had the benefit of decreasing the need for farmers to till to control weeds.
The herbicide quickly grew in popularity and has spread to other products under the Roundup brand. It became so influential that the Monsanto scientist who first discovered glyphosate received the highest honor for technical achievement in 1987. According to Monsanto, he was given the National Medal of Technology because Roundup had an impact “upon the production of agricultural food and fiber as well as agricultural practices throughout the world.”3
As patents on the formula for Roundup have expired, other companies have used glyphosate in their products, including Rattle by Helena and Touchdown by Zeneca.
Despite the use of glyphosate by other companies, Roundup remains a top seller.
Understanding How Roundup Works
Unlike earlier herbicides, Roundup does not discriminate between weeds and crops. This means Monsanto recommends applying the weed killer right on the target.
What makes the product so unique is that it is targets plants only, supposedly.
Glyphosate attacks an enzyme called the EPSP synthase. By inhibiting the enzyme, essential growth proteins are no longer produced. This causes the plant to die within a few days. Since the enzyme is only found in plants, Monsanto suggests Roundup is safe for people and pets
Roundup Classified as “Probably Carcinogenic” by IARC
There have always been some concerns over the safety of Roundup. Some evidence suggests that workers who are exposed to high levels of pesticides may be at a higher risk of cancer.
Other studies offered more specific findings. For example, one of the earliest studies in 2001 found that men exposed to higher levels of glyphosate had a higher risk of developing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL).5 Another study in 2009 drew similar conclusions after looking at thousands of men in the United States who were exposed to pesticides.6
But the most controversial decision that raised concerns about the safety of the herbicide came in March 2015 when the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reclassified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic in humans.”7
The IARC, which is the cancer research arm of the specialized agency for the United Nations, looked at epidemiological studies and animal studies to conclude how the herbicide could affect humans.
Roundup Concerns Regarding Non Hodgins Lymphoma Prompt Roundup Lawsuits
The classification of the IARC as “probably carcinogenic” was significant. People with cancers like NHL to sue Monsanto for negligence and a failure to warn consumers about cancer risks.
Most of the Roundup lawsuits are alarmingly similar. A patient receives a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. They undergo grueling chemotherapy. They may have radiation or surgery. They suffer in pain.
They wonder what caused this cancer. Then they learn about the the IARC classification, or the internal documents, or other evidence that plaintiffs brought to trial in a Roundup lawsuit. Having sprayed Roundup for years, they wonder if Roundup caused their cancer, and if so, if they have a viable Roundup lawsuit.
Thousands of people have come forward to tell their story and take on the multibillion-dollar corporation.
Some Roundup Studies Found No Cancer Link
Despite claims from cancer survivors, recent studies on glyphosate and Roundup have contradicted the findings from the IARC.
In November 2017, a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute concluded that there was no apparent association between glyphosate and cancers like non-Hodgkin lymphoma.8 There was “some evidence” of increased risk of acute myeloid leukemia that needed further investigation.
Executives at Monsanto said they felt vindicated by the findings supporting the safety of Roundup and even said that the study “definitively demonstrates in a real-world environment that glyphosate doesn’t cause cancer.”9
Then, in December 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Roundup likely does not cause cancer.10 In its human health risk assessment, the agency “found no other meaningful risks to human health when the product is used according to the pesticide label.” Other studies and scientific data cuts the other way.
Court Documents Reveal EPA-Monsanto Connection
In mid-2017, unsealed court documents in Roundup lawsuits appeared to show tactics from Monsanto that would undermine regulatory agencies like the IARC. But one of the most damning documents showed Monsanto contacting an official at the EPA to influence some of the investigations into Roundup.
Although that official no longer works at the EPA, environmental groups point to the possible bias of the EPA in assessing the safety of glyphosate.
“The only way the EPA could conclude that glyphosate poses no significant risks to human health was to analyze industry studies and ignore its own guidelines when estimating cancer risk,” Nathan Donley, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity, said about the December 2017 assessment.12 “The EPA’s biased assessment falls short of the most basic standards of independent research and fails to give Americans an accurate picture of the risks posed by glyphosate use.”
At this point, several courts across the country, in California, Missouri, and Pennsylvania for example have found the evidence sufficient to go to a jury.
Who qualifies for a Roundup lawsuit?
Direct exposure to Roundup for many months is a perquisites for our law firm. A Non Hodgins Lymphoma diagnosis is as well. Beyond that, we will obtain medical records and evaluate the case further. Ultimately roundup lawsuit qualifications vary. Who qualifies for a Roundup lawsuit depends on the facts of the case – degree and duration of exposure, cancer diagnosis timing and specifics, and the treatment received.
KBA Has Been Covering Roundup Cancer Claims for Years
Our attorneys are product liability attorneys. We have worked on the Roundup litigation for many years. Our lawyers worked with several law firms across the country on Roundup. We have worked with many clients Roundup directly impacted. From reviewing records, to helping them tell their stories, KBA has been there for their clients.
Here are some blog posts we posted in the past:
Monsanto Ordered To Pay $289 Million in Roundup Cancer Trial (kbaattorneys.com)
Roundup Verdict Upheld, But Cut Down To $78 Million (kbaattorneys.com)
New Opinion Issued by The Court in Roundup Litigation (kbaattorneys.com)
Contact a Lawyer Regarding Roundup Lawsuits
Even in the face of conflicting information and disagreements among agencies, thousands of people continue to come forward to talk about how Roundup may have given them cancer. Speak with a Roundup lawyer to see if your experience qualifies for a Roundup lawsuit or settlement.
Those who have been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma after using Roundup are encouraged to contact a qualified Roundup attorney to find out more about pursuing legal action.
References
- Douglas Main. “Glyphosate now the most-used agricultural chemical ever“, Newsweek, www.newsweek.com/glyphosate-now-most-used-agricultural-chemical-ever-422419. Accessed Mar 6, 2018.
- “The history of roundup“, Roupndup Canada, www.roundup.ca/en/rounduphistory. Accessed Mar 6, 2018.
- “History of Monsanto’s Glyphosate Herbicides“, Monsanto, monsanto.com/app/uploads/2017/06/back_history.pdf. Accessed Mar 6, 2018.
- “How Do Roundup® Weed & Grass Killer Products Work?“, Roundup, www.roundup.com/en-us/library/learning-basics/how-do-roundup-weed-grass-killer-products-work. Accessed Mar 6, 2018.
- Helen H. McDuffie, et la. “Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Specific Pesticide Exposures in Men“, American Association for Cancer Research, cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/10/11/1155.full. Accessed Mar 6, 2018.
- A J De Roos, et la. “Integrative assessment of multiple pesticides as risk factors for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma among men“, National Institutes of Health, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1740618/. Accessed Mar 6, 2018.
- “IARC Monographs Volume 112: evaluation of five organophosphate insecticides and herbicides“, World Health Organization, www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/iarcnews/pdf/MonographVolume112.pdf. Accessed Mar 6, 2018.
- Holly Yan. “Patients: Roundup gave us cancer as EPA official helped the company“, CNN, www.cnn.com/2017/05/15/health/roundup-herbicide-cancer-allegations/index.html. Accessed Mar 6, 2018.
- Gabriella Andreotti, et la. “Glyphosate Use and Cancer Incidence in the Agricultural Health Study“, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, academic.oup.com/jnci/article-abstract/doi/10.1093/jnci/djx233/4590280?redirectedFrom=fulltext. Accessed Mar 6, 2018.
- Kate Sheridan. “Monsanto’s Controversial Weed Killer Roundup Does Not Cause Cancer, New Study Shows“, Newsweek, www.newsweek.com/monsanto-weed-killer-roundup-does-not-cause-cancer-new-study-shows-707260. Accessed Mar 6, 2018.
- Geoffrey Mohan. “EPA says herbicide in Roundup weed killer doesn’t cause cancer, contradicting California regulators“, Los Angeles Times, www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-pesticide-cancer-20171218-story.html. Accessed Mar 6, 2018.
- Nathan Donley. “Flawed EPA Analysis Rejects Finding That Glyphosate Is a Probable Carcinogen“, Center for Biological Diversity, www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2017/pesticides-12-18-2017.php. Accessed Mar 6, 2018.