Roundup Cancer Lawsuit News

Monsanto Points to Studies In DeWayne Johnson Trial Appeal

Monsanto is appealing the $289 million jury verdict awarded California school groundskeeper DeWayne Johnson

Friday, September 28, 2018 - The defense for Monsanto claims that over 800 scientific studies have concluded that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup herbicide, is not carcinogenic. In the lawyer's words Roundup "did not cause Mr. Johnson's cancer." According to Reuters, lawyers for Monsanto have argued to the San Francisco California Superior Court that there was insufficient evidence to support the jury's decision. According to a Bayer spokesperson in Reuters, "The jury's decision is wholly at odds with over 40 years of real-world use, an extensive body of scientific data and analysis ... which support the conclusion that glyphosate-based herbicides are safe for use and do not cause cancer in humans."

Of all of the scientific studies indicating that glyphosate is safe, one stands out above the rest. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that glyphosate is not likely to cause cancer in humans. In a draft risk assessment issued in December 2017, the health agency expressed their concern over glyphosate due to the raw volume of the chemical that is being sprayed over the entire country's agricultural crops year in and year out. Glyphosate is by far the most heavily used herbicide in the country and for that matter in the entire world. The EPA has studied the dietary, residential, occupational, and agricultural applications of the chemical and concluded: "The Agency's assessment found no other meaningful risks to human health when the product is used according to the pesticide label. The Agency's scientific findings are consistent with the conclusions of science reviews by a number of other countries as well as the 2017 National Institute of Health Agricultural Health Survey." According to that document "(the) evaluation in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) with follow-up through 2001 found no statistically significant associations with glyphosate use and cancer at any site." The agency also concluded "no association was apparent between glyphosate and any solid tumors or lymphoid malignancies overall, including NHL and its subtypes."

Monsanto's success in their appeal is not as assured as they may believe it to be. The DeWayne Johnson case argued that glyphosate was a "contributing factor" in causing cancer when it comes into contact with the human skin in large quantities and repeatedly so over time. Johnson's expert witnesses testified, and the jury believed, that glyphosate does, in fact, bioaccumulate on the skin. Monsanto company memos pointed to the company being aware of this and have stated that direct skin contact with the chemical in large quantities is to be avoided. Johnson's attorneys alleged that Monsanto had a responsibility to warn those who use Roundup herbicide in their occupation in industrial-level quantities, and had the duty to place a warning label instruction for users to wear waterproof, protective clothing when applying the chemical. Jurors found that Monsanto was aware of the hazards of bioaccumulation and failed to warn consumers.

There are billions of dollars at stake over the outcome of Monsanto's appeal. The DeWayne Johnson Monsanto cancer trial is thought to have been precedent setting. 8000 plaintiffs have filed lawsuits alleging that glyphosate in Roundup herbicide caused their cancer. Johnson's trial was the first and was rushed to the California court because of the plaintiff's terminal health situation under a California law. Attorneys handling Monsanto Roundup cancer lawsuit claims can answer common Roundup cancer questions.

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Lawyers for Roundup Cancer Lawsuits

Attorneys handling Roundup cancer lawsuits for leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma offer free, no-obligation case review for individuals and families who believe they may have grounds to file a Roundup cancer lawsuit. Working on a contingency basis, these attorneys are committed to never charging legal fees unless they win compensation in your Roundup cancer lawsuit. The product liability litigators handling Roundup claims at the Onder Law Firm have a strong track record of success in representing families harmed by dangerous drugs and consumer products.