The U.S. Supreme Court has requested the Justice Department’s opinion on whether to hear Bayer’s appeal regarding lawsuits claiming that its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer, as reported by Reuters. Bayer is seeking to limit such lawsuits, which could potentially save the company billions in damages. The appeal stems from a Missouri case where a jury awarded $1.25 million to a plaintiff who developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after using Roundup.
Bayer argues that federal law, which governs pesticide labeling through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), preempts state law claims. The company contends that it cannot add cancer warnings to Roundup’s label without violating federal regulations, as the EPA has found no evidence linking glyphosate, Roundup’s active ingredient, to cancer. However, the Missouri Court of Appeals upheld the jury’s verdict, and similar rulings have been made in other courts.
Current Roundup Cases Against Bayer
Bayer has faced over 67,000 lawsuits in the U.S., with plaintiffs alleging that Roundup caused their cancer. While the company has settled many cases for approximately $10 billion, new lawsuits continue to emerge. Bayer has had mixed results in court, with some large jury awards against it, including a $2.1 billion verdict in Georgia. The company has also threatened to withdraw Roundup from the U.S. market and has replaced glyphosate in its consumer products with alternative substances.
The Supreme Court previously declined to hear Bayer’s appeal in 2022, but the company is optimistic about this renewed effort. Bayer’s CEO, Bill Anderson, views the Supreme Court’s request for the Justice Department’s input as a positive development, emphasizing the broader implications for companies adhering to federal regulations. Meanwhile, plaintiffs argue that Bayer’s marketing, not just its labeling, failed to warn consumers about potential risks.
This case highlights the ongoing legal and regulatory challenges surrounding Roundup and its impact on consumers, businesses, and the agricultural industry.
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