Research and thousands of lawsuits suggests Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer is associated with an increased risk of certain types of cancer. If you have been exposed to Roundup and developed cancer, contact Thomas J. Henry for your free consultation.
In 1970, Monsanto developed glyphosate to kill weeds and grasses that hinder crop growth. They marketed the chemical as Roundup weed killer, and by 2007, it had become the most widely used herbicide in the United States with an estimated 1.4 billion pounds being used in more than 160 countries every year.
The herbicide became especially popular with the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOS) that are resistant to glyphosate, including corn, cotton, and soybeans. These glyphosate-resistant or “Roundup-Ready” plants aided farmers by allowing them to spray their fields with weed-killing herbicides without destroying their crops.
Despite its widespread use, the safety of Monsanto’s Roundup has been debated for several years. Thousands of lawsuits have been filed alleging that people have developed many types of blood cancers after using the product, including:
Studies conducted to discover cancer risks associated with Roundup have produced conflicting results.
In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) released an investigation in which they researched the safety of five pesticides on the market to determine if they were carcinogenic. Glyphosate was among the pesticides analyzed during this investigation.
The results revealed that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans,” based on convincing evidence that the pesticide had created tumors and cancer in laboratory animals. Particularly, the IARC found that exposure to glyphosate led to non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, B-cell lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had also labeled glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen back in 1995 but later changed their beliefs, arguing in 2017 that the pesticide is not toxic to humans nor animals. Monsanto’s representatives also argue that their herbicide poses no cancer threat.
With studies producing conflicting results, it is hard to determine whether glyphosate can truly cause cancer, but the number of lawsuits filed as a result of the issue are telling.
According to Bayer’s 2019 Half-Year Financial Report, approximately 18,400 cancer patients and their families have filed lawsuits against Monsanto, claiming the company has been aware of the potential dangers of glyphosate and failed to properly warn consumers. Nonetheless, Monsanto refutes these claims.
If you or a loved one have suffered an injury or illness due to a defective or dangerous product, contact Thomas J. Henry. Over two decades of experience handling a multitude of defective product cases and extensive legal and financial resources allow us to provide our clients with truly dynamic legal representation. Thomas J. Henry has a proven track record of achieving real results for clients devastated by recalled products.
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