December 13, 2021
The hundreds of lawsuits alleging Monsanto Roundup weed killer caused blood-borne cancers cleared a big hurdle last week when the presiding judge ruled that cancer victims and their families could present expert testimony relating the herbicide to the development of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria held that there was sufficient evidence that glyphosate – the active ingredient in Roundup — can cause the disease. Ruling against Monsanto, Judge Chhabria found the opinions of three experts linking glyphosate to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma were sufficiently reliable and not “junk science” as Monsanto had claimed.
During days of hearings, Judge Vince Chhabria examined Beate Ritz, a renowned epidemiologist at the University of California, who testified for the plaintiffs that glyphosate-based compounds including Roundup can cause non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Monsanto’s expert, Lorelei Mucci, a cancer epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health testified there was no evidence of a positive association between glyphosate and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The judge found both opinions sufficiently reliable and will allow both Ritz and Mucci to testify at trial.
Plaintiffs allege that Monsanto, the sole manufacturer of Roundup, knew about the cancer risk for decades but intentionally failed to warn users of the product in order to protect sales. The long-awaited decision allows the cases to move forward toward trial although the judge cautioned that the decision only applies to whether or not Roundup can cause Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma generally and that the individual plaintiffs still have a “daunting challenge” to prove the product actually caused their individual disease.
Roundup has been on the market since the 1970s. In 2015 the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, classified Roundup as a “probable human carcinogen.” California includes glyphosate in its list of chemicals known to cause cancer.
Monsanto continues to defend each lawsuit and denies there is any link between the weed killer and cancer. Monsanto Vice President Scott Partridge emphasized that the judge excluded some of the plaintiffs’ experts and called the opinions of those allowed to testify as “shaky.”
If you have been exposed to Roundup and you have since been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma or a similar blood-borne cancer, there may be time limits to seek compensation. Call the experienced lawyers at Cellino Law to discuss how you can join the Roundup litigation. The attorneys at Cellino Law have years of experience helping individuals pursue financial compensation for injuries and costly medical bills associated with dangerous consumer products and we only get paid if you win your case. Call us today.
Content checked by the personal injury attorney Ross Cellino. As a family man and a trial attorney, I pride myself on winning cases and serving the community. With over 35 years of experience, I understand the function of a jury, how juries arrive at conclusions, and the role that the jury plays in administering justice. I know how to win cases. You can find us in Manhattan, Buffalo, Melville, Rochester, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens and other locations throughout New York.