Thousands of people have filed Roundup lawsuits against Monsanto. Controversy does not seem to leave Monsanto alone. Especially after Bayer owned Monsanto last year, this German Chemical giant has lost three highly esteemed court cases over glyphosate’s possible link to cancer. Glyphosate is the primary suspected chemical which is thought to be carcinogenic. According to sources, negotiating via possible settlements may be the only way forward that could put an end to thousands of Roundup Lawsuits linked to cancer. According to a report published by Reuters, over 18,400 people are claiming that they have developed non-Hodgkins’ lymphoma after being exposed to Roundup for a significant period.
Roundup is one of the most popular herbicides that kill the weeds. It is popular among farmers all over the world. The active ingredient is Glyphosate that works by inhibiting a specific enzyme needed for the growth of the weed. In the USA, it is the most used weed killer. Around 85-90 million pounds are being used annually. As of now, Roundup remains the most widely used herbicide globally.
Possible links with Cancer
Does Roundup cause cancer? In a word, the answer is yes. But to understand how exactly Roundup is responsible for causing cancer among its users, one has to bear in mind that Roundup is a concoction of various chemical ingredients. Each ingredient has a unique role. Glyphosate is the active compound in Roundup. In 2015, glyphosate has been classified as a “probable human carcinogen” by the Cancer Research Arm of the World Health Organization. The other ingredients in Roundup are not free of guilt either. The other ingredients have a fair share in causing toxicity leading to cancer in worst-case scenarios.
It has been demonstrated by many studies that exposure to glyphosate causes DNA damage. The strands of DNA breaks which acts as a precursor to cancer. Also, it has been proved by additional researches that glyphosate is related to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress causes heavy damage to the cells in our body which may manifest as several disorders- cancer being one of them. According to some of the eminent scientists, the process that stops the weeds to grow further by inhibiting the production of a certain kind of enzyme is also responsible for killing the good bacteria in our stomach. Thus, consuming crops which have been predisposed to Roundup may cause serious digestive issues.
As a result, glyphosate is being tested by the Americans both in courts and in households. The concern regarding the safe use of the chemical is on the rise. However, Bayer is trying its best to get as close as possible to make the situation right in the form of settlements with people who claimed of getting cancer by the use of Roundup. According to Reuters, one of the Bayer’s chief executives’ opinion about the settlement is that a “financially reasonable” settlement should only be considered if Bayer can terminate all the Roundup Lawsuits litigation.
Roundup Lawsuits & Litigation
However, things are not looking very bright for Bayer as well. The claim by the Roundup lawsuits that Roundup is responsible for a particular type of cancer, which is non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that takes more or less 10 years to manifest is making it difficult for Beyer’s to make a feasible financial settlement. Reuters keeps on to elaborate it further that the company usually sets up a compensation fund from which people with the valid claim are benefited. People accepting benefits from these funds set up by the company usually renounce their right to file litigation. In the long run, if more people come up with claims that they have developed cancer because of Roundup, the funds may run out making the company face lawsuits by these people again. It should be kept in mind that the non-Hodgkin lymphoma may take as long as 10 years to surface- or at any point of time during that particular duration making it nearly impossible to predict its onset. Additionally, the Roundup Lawsuits Exposure has been linked with several other diseases and disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Autism, Birth Defects, Celiac Disease, Heart disease, infertility, obesity, Respiratory illness, Parkinson’s disease, Depression, colitis and so on.
A lot of companies attempt to arrange for settlement deals to prevent costly litigation. But the particular nature of the situation that Bayer has found itself is likely to cause Bayer more expenses and time-consuming litigation. The company may try to close all the Roundup Lawsuits litigation at once by making a settlement deal for the time being, but it does not provide any assurance that the company won’t face any litigation in the future.
