The pharmaceutical company Bayer acquired Roundup when it acquired Monsanto in 2018. Since then, it has been hit with thousands of lawsuits alleging that its product contains a carcinogen. Now a Georgia court has ordered German agricultural and pharmaceutical giant Bayer to pay $2.1 billion (€1.9 billion) in a case related to its Roundup herbicide.
This is one of the largest fines Bayer has ever faced in connection with Roundup. Sentenced by the Cobb County State Court, the penalty includes $2 billion (€1.9 billion) in punitive damages, as well as $65 million (€60 million) in compensation to those affected. Bayer’s share price plummeted 6.4% on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange this week.
What does Roundup contain and what health effects does it have?
The case was filed by a plaintiff who claimed the herbicide was responsible for his Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Lymphoma is a type of cancer that attacks the lymphatic system, which is responsible for transporting excess interstitial fluid and fat, and performing immune functions.
Roundup has been heavily criticized for containing glyphosate. The WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded in 2015 that the substance is “probably carcinogenic to humans,” a claim denied by the European Chemicals Agency, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and Bayer itself if used in moderation. Monsanto introduced glyphosate to the market in 1974 and held the patent until 2000. Bayer acquired the company in 2018.
Another affected consumer, William B. O’Neil, stated in a LinkedIn post: “I used Bayer’s Roundup for decades. It was a great way to easily kill weeds. The problem is that it was marketed as a safe and effective household chemical. Like many others, I used it without a mask or gloves. I have now been diagnosed with large B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.”
The ghost of Monsanto haunts Bayer
The company has already paid out approximately $10 billion (€9.2 billion) to date in cases related to Roundup-related cancer. However, an equal number of lawsuits against the herbicide remain pending. Bayer has set aside approximately $5.9 billion (€5.4 billion) for legal costs.
The company has revealed that it will appeal the verdict, citing scientific evidence and the consensus of global regulatory bodies. The company also believes the compensatory and punitive damages are too high and will seek to have them reduced or eliminated altogether.
Bayer has faced significant backlash over its 2018 acquisition of Monsanto. The deal was valued at $63 billion (€58.1 billion), but Bayer failed to fully assess the multi-million-dollar lawsuits it would face over Roundup.
This has led the company to warn US lawmakers that it could be forced to stop selling Roundup if it does not receive better protection against lawsuits alleging the herbicide causes cancer. It has also argued that state laws should not be invoked in the lawsuits, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has already approved glyphosate as safe for use, along with other foreign regulators.
Bayer’s withdrawal of Roundup could have significant consequences for U.S. agriculture, as the vast majority of cotton, corn, and soybean crops are currently sprayed with glyphosate.
