US Supreme Court Limits Roundup Cancer Lawsuits Against Monsanto
The US Supreme Court ruled 7 to 2 in favor of Monsanto. Monsanto makes Roundup weedkiller and is owned by Bayer.
The ruling blocks thousands of lawsuits against Monsanto. Those lawsuits claimed Roundup caused cancer.
The court also overturned a verdict worth billions of dollars in claims. A man named John Durnell sued Monsanto after using Roundup for over 20 years.
He said it caused his non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The court sided with Monsanto against him.
Federal pesticide law now blocks similar state-level lawsuits. Those lawsuits said Roundup failed to warn users about cancer risks.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote the main opinion. Two justices disagreed with the ruling.
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup. It has long been linked to cancer claims. Bayer also faces a separate $7.25 billion settlement in a Missouri state court.
Key Terms 5
- Monsanto Company that makes Roundup weedkiller. Now owned by Bayer.
- Glyphosate The chemical in Roundup that people link to cancer risk.
- Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma A type of cancer that affects the immune system.
- Federal pesticide law US law that controls how pesticides are labeled and sold.
- Settlement Money paid to end a legal dispute without a full trial.