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Is RoundUp Herbicide Linked To Cancer?

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RoundUp herbicide is a product manufactured by Monsanto, currently a subsidiary of Bayer. Monsanto conducted research in the 1970s to create a chemical, glyphosate, which was patented for the purpose of killing weeds and subsequently the basis for RoundUp.

A litany of studies conducted by the likes of the World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the European Commission (EC) have concluded that “labeled uses of glyphosate have demonstrated no evidence of human carcinogenicity.” However, a recent study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded with claims of carcinogenicity in research reviews.

Court Precedents

There have been, without a doubt, lawsuits whose outcome asserts that RoundUp could be liable for health effects. So far, three cases heard in California claiming that RoundUp caused the plaintiffs to develop cancer have settled in the plaintiff’s favor, albeit under appeal.

Furthermore, there have been allegations attached to these lawsuits, including the judge’s official ruling, to the effect that Monsanto had undertaken a cover-up and attempt to suppress research finding negative health effects in using RoundUp.

Research and Practice

In laboratory tests on rabbits, rats, mice, and goats, glyphosate has been shown to have “low to very low toxicity,” as reported by the National Pesticide Information Center in 2010. Doses ranging from 50 to 200 mg/kg/day were reported as having “no observed adverse effect level.” Other studies on aquatic life, microbes, and soil biota have shown similar “low to nil” toxicity effects.

Additionally, it is significant that Monsanto has been legally prosecuted for false advertising. In 1996, the New York State attorney general prosecuted Monsanto’s advertised claims that RoundUp was “safer than table salt” and “practically non-toxic.”

Monsanto settled the RoundUp cancer lawsuit and withdrew the advertising. The point of this is that consumers might have been misled by the advertising and then misused the product in ways not intended by the labeled instructions.

Conflicting Findings

Because RoundUp is so widely used, it has attracted a great deal of attention and numerous claims can be found to justify just about any position. The absolute conclusion of the IARC mentioned above was that glyphosate was “probably” carcinogenic and linked it to increased risks for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which several plaintiffs in lawsuits against Bayer have indeed contracted.

If you or a loved one may have had a negative health impact from the use of RoundUp products, you might be eligible to pursue a RoundUp cancer lawsuit.