Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – A Pennsylvania jury has ordered Bayer, the parent company of Monsanto, to pay up to $2.25 billion to a cancer patient who alleges that his non-Hodgkin lymphoma was caused by the use of Roundup weed killer. The verdict comes as a blow to Bayer, which now faces a substantial payout in damages.
The plaintiff, John McKivison, 49, claimed that he contracted non-Hodgkin lymphoma as a result of prolonged exposure to Roundup weed killer, which he had been using on his property for over two decades. McKivison’s lawyers, from the firm Kline & Specter, argued that Roundup is a defective and cancer-causing product, and that the company had been negligent in failing to warn its customers of the dangers associated with its use.
The jury awarded McKivison approximately $2 billion in punitive damages and a total of $2.25 billion. However, Bayer has announced its intention to appeal the verdict, stating that the damages awarded are “unconstitutionally excessive” and should be either eliminated or reduced. The company argues that the scientific evidence and regulatory assessments overwhelmingly support the safety of its products.
The chemical at the center of the controversy, glyphosate, has been the subject of heated debate. The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer labeled glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans” in a report, while Monsanto and the US Environmental Protection Agency contend that it is not cancerous. The American Cancer Society has highlighted the potential link between certain herbicides and insecticides, including glyphosate, and an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. However, research on the subject is ongoing.
This is not the first lawsuit connecting Roundup to non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Since 2015, many patients have initiated legal action against Monsanto and Bayer, resulting in settlement payouts totaling over $10 billion. Despite this, the companies have often been successful in defending themselves, with many cases being settled out of court or resulting in reduced damages following initial high awards by juries.
The verdict in McKivison’s case is seen as a landmark condemnation of Monsanto’s conduct over the past half-century. His attorneys argue that the verdict signifies the company’s reckless disregard for human safety and its role as a substantial cause of his cancer. The outcome of Bayer’s appeal will have significant implications for future lawsuits involving Roundup.