A University of Washington study reports that people exposed to the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup face an increased glyphosate cancer risk.

In the study published last month, researchers reportedly examined epidemiological studies published between 2001 and 2018, showing that exposure to glyphosate increases the risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma by 41 percent.

The University of Washington researchers concluded that their analysis supports a “compelling link” between the pesticide glyphosate and NHL.

“All of the meta-analyses conducted to date, including our own, consistently report the same key finding: exposure to GBHs (glyphosate-based herbicides) are associated with an increased risk of NHL,” the authors wrote.

According to the National Pesticide Information Center, glyphosate is a pesticide that has been used in Roundup and other products since it was registered for use in 1974. Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide. This means that the pesticide will kill most plants indiscriminately.

The National Pesticide Information Center also notes that, while glyphosate is widely used, studies have shown that the chemical may be linked to the development of cancer. The UW analysis is one of many studies to provide evidence for the glyphosate cancer risk.

Monsanto, the manufacturer of Roundup and subsidiary of Bayer, rejects the study and says that it contradicts evidence and real-world experience spanning 40 years. Authorities such as the European Food Safety Authorities (EFSA), European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), the US Environment Protection Agency (EPA), and Health Canada reportedly have backed the company’s position with extensive research.

“These independent expert regulators take their responsibility to public health incredibly seriously and apply the highest and most up to date scientific standards,” said Sarah Mukherjee, CEO at the UK Crop Protection Association (CPA). “The debate around the safety of glyphosate is more about politics and activism from those opposed to modern productive agriculture than it is about science.”

However, the UW researchers stand by their conclusions. In fact, the scientists note that their conclusions align with those of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the leading global authority on cancer research.

“This research provides the most up-to-date analysis of glyphosate and its link with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, incorporating a 2018 study of more than 54,000 people who work as licensed pesticide applicators,” said co-author Dr. Rachel Shaffer, according to Farmers Weekly. “These findings are aligned with a prior assessment from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which classified glyphosate as a ‘probable human carcinogen’ in 2015.”

The glyphosate cancer risk has made legal news in the past year, with a landmark trial in August. After the trial, a federal court in California awarded $289 million to plaintiff Dewayne J., a park worker who was allegedly diagnosed with cancer after using Roundup. The court determined that exposure to glyphosate played a role in Dewayne’s cancer development.

The outcome of the August trial stands to sway other future trials, which will likely use the court’s decision in their argument for a favorable verdict. Bayer and Monsanto are reportedly appealing the jury’s massive verdict, but the $289 million award may still stand.

If you or a loved one developed cancer after using Roundup as a farm worker or home gardener, you may have a legal claim. Legal migrant farm workers may also seek help. Learn more by filling out the form on this page for a FREE case evaluation.

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