Roundup Cancer Lawsuit News

Roundup Ready Will Not Be Labeled Cancer-Causing in California

Monsanto Roundup Ready sidesteps a cancer warning ... for now

Wednesday, May 9, 2018 - Monsanto will not be required to place a cancer warning label on its flagship herbicide, Roundup Ready according to a ruling by a federal judge in February citing a lack of a connection between glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup Ready and cancer in human beings. The judge determined that labeling the product as cancer-causing would be confusing and misleading to consumers. Forcing a company to take a step as dramatic as the placement of a warning label requires "undisputed evidence" that the product causes cancer. The judge stated that there is no "definitive proof" that glyphosate causes cancer in human beings. The label requirement was based on the State of California's automatic inclusion of glyphosate on their list of chemicals that cause cancer. Such inclusion is based exclusively on a report by the International Agency on Cancer Research (IARC)'s that determined that glyphosate is, "probably carcinogenic." The IARC's relied on animal studies to reach their cancer opinion while their human studies drew the conclusion that it is inconclusive whether or not glyphosate causes cancer in humans.

In November 2017, Monsanto organized farmers from Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Alabama, Kentucky, and Iowa, all of whom heavily rely on Roundup Ready and Monsanto's genetically engineered seed for their livelihood, and sued the State of California to prevent the cancer labeling from taking place. The coalition was led by the National Association of Wheat Growers and included agricultural heavyweights in the Midwest representing corn, soy, and wheat farmers, all notoriously GMO crops. The groups argued that requiring them to label every product they produce would raise their costs and force them to increase food prices and layoff thousands of farm employees. In addition, the group claimed that forcing Monsanto and farmers to place warning labels on their glyphosate product would be an unconstitutional violation of their commercial free speech rights. The judge agreed and for the time being, at least, glyphosate and related products will not be required to be labeled as cancer-causing.

The judge upheld, however, the ruling that allowed the state of California to include glyphosate on their official list of chemicals that consumers should avoid because they are carcinogenic. Inclusion on California's Proposition 65 list is automatic when the IARC, a division of the independent world health watchdog, the World Health Organization produces or changes a cancer designation. The court ruled California had a right to delegate the expert scientific research findings to the IARC.

The website, www.chemicalwatch.com quoted an email from California Attorney General Xavier Becerra office's reaction to the ruling as he is, "pleased that glyphosate will remain listed under Proposition 65 and that it's evaluating all legal options." Also reporting, "Becerra continues to believe that providing the factual, truthful and non-misleading warning required by the law does not violate a business's First Amendment rights and will provide consumers with valuable information enabling them to make informed choices."

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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.