A lawsuit has been filed against Monsanto arguing that the active ingredient in Roundup can cause large B cell lymphoma.

Plaintiff William T. recently filed a lawsuit against Monsanto Company, the manufacturer of Roundup, arguing that the active ingredient in the weed killer has the potential to cause large B cell lymphoma  and other types of cancer.

Roundup is a weed killer that was released in the 1970’s after Monsanto discovered the herbicidal properties of its active ingredient, glyphosate. Glyphosate is a non-selective, broad-spectrum herbicide meaning it kills indiscriminately based only on whether or not a plant produces a specific enzyme. Roundup has both domestic and commercial uses and an estimated 250 million pounds of roundup are used every year.

William says he began using Roundup in 1976 and sprayed the product regularly for years afterwards. In 2012, William was allegedly diagnosed with large B cell lymphoma. He believes that his cancer diagnosis was a direct result of his continued use of Monsanto’s Roundup products.

The Roundup cancer lawsuit argues that glyphosate has carcinogenic properties. As early as 1985, the EPA Toxicology Branch classified glyphosate as a “possible human carcinogen with limited evidence,” according to William’s complaint. This classification means that the chemical is likely carcinogenic but there is not enough evidence to classify it as such.

Since then, William claims numerous studies have been published which show that glyphosate-based pesticides affect cell cycle regulation, increasing the change for cellular mutation and the development of cancers such as large B cell lymphoma.

In 2015, after over a year of review, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as a Class 2A probable carcinogen. This classification means that its mechanisms show evidence of being carcinogenic and there has been sufficient evidence of its carcinogenicity in animals.

Despite decades of evidence allegedly proving the carcinogenicity of glyphosate, William and other plaintiffs like him say Monsanto has not acknowledged the possible risks.

“In spite of this knowledge, Defendant continued to issue broad and sweeping statements suggesting that Roundup was, and is, safer than ordinary household items such as table salt, despite a lack of scientific support for the accuracy and validity of these statements and, in fact, voluminous evidence to the contrary,” the lawsuit states.

William claims that, despite the evidence that glyphosate is carcinogenic, Monsanto continues to mislead consumers with deceptive advertising. In 1996, Monsanto faced a false advertising lawsuit after they marketed Roundup as “safer than table salt” and “practically non-toxic.”

In his lawsuit, William claims that Monsanto had sufficient evidence of the dangers of glyphosate but has tried to conceal the evidence.

“Defendant fraudulently concealed information from Plaintiff regarding the true dangers and relative risks of Roundup. The global scientific community is not, and was never, in agreement that Roundup is non-carcinogenic,” the lawsuit accuses. Under these accusations, William argues that Monsanto is liable for his large B cell lymphoma diagnosis.

William accuses Monsanto of negligence, strict products liability, and breach of warranty. The lawsuit seeks a trial by jury, damages, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

The Roundup Cancer Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-00064-NBB-JMV in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi.

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.

Learn More