Judge Denies Bayer's 'Clearly Unreasonable' Proposal to Settle Future Roundup Cancer Claims

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Judge Denies Bayer's 'Clearly Unreasonable' Proposal to Settle Future Roundup Cancer Claims

May 26, 2021

SAN FRANCISCO—Today, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria denied Monsanto/Bayer's proposed settlement that would set up a compensation fund to settle future lawsuits over claims that its Roundup weed killer causes non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), a form of cancer.

In his opinion, Judge Chhabria excoriated Bayer's proposed settlement as "clearly unreasonable," with "glaring flaws," that "vastly overstated" the potential benefits to future cancer victims from Roundup, particularly those who have not (yet) been diagnosed. Compensation would only be considered for those who develop NHL within 4 years of settlement, even though this cancer often takes far longer to develop.

Earlier this month, an appeals court affirmed a lower court's decision that resulted in a $80 million settlement for Edwin Hardeman, a California man who developed NHL after decades of exposure to Roundup and became the first-ever plaintiff whose case was tried in federal court. Center for Food Safety filed a brief in support of Mr. Hardeman's defense on appeal and is currently in court challenging Environmental Protection Agency's latest nationwide approval of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup—including because of health risks to farmers and farmworkers from Roundup exposure.

Statement from Bill Freese, science director at Center for Food Safety:

"We applaud the Court for resoundingly rejecting this proposed settlement, which would leave many Roundup-using victims of non-Hodgkin lymphoma high and dry in order to limit Bayer/Monsanto's liability for their carcinogenic herbicide."

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