Roundup Weed Killer Lawsuit | Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma & Glyphosate Cancer Claims Updates
Key Roundup Safety Study Retracted Over Bayer Influence, Impacting Litigation Defense
The journal Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology has retracted a pivotal paper on glyphosate safety, citing "serious ethical concerns" regarding Bayer's influence. The editor states that undisclosed emails reveal Bayer "actually wrote some of the paper." The retraction notice alleges a lack of academic integrity and author independence. This study had been instrumental in Bayer's defense against claims that Roundup causes cancer. Its removal significantly weakens the company's available scientific evidence as it faces thousands of pending lawsuits.
Federal Brief Supports Bayer in Ongoing Roundup Supreme Court Appeal
Officials from the Trump administration filed a brief supporting Bayer in its request for U.S. Supreme Court review of a ruling related to Roundup litigation. Bayer, which acquired Monsanto, has paid billions in settlements to individuals who developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma allegedly linked to glyphosate exposure. The company argues that FDA approval of its prior product labeling shields it from liability for alleged failures to warn about cancer risks. The Supreme Court has not yet decided whether it will hear the appeal, with a decision expected in the coming months. New Roundup claims remain eligible for filing in state or federal courts.
California Court Upholds $28 Million Roundup Verdict Against Bayer
A California court has affirmed a $28 million verdict against Bayer regarding its Roundup product. This decision follows Bayer's recent move to withdraw appeals and settle other major verdicts in Georgia and Philadelphia. Legal observers suggest this California case is one the company would have preferred to resolve before the ruling was issued. The future litigation landscape may pause until there is clarity on whether the Supreme Court will address the key pre-emption issue. Despite a challenging year in court, Bayer's CEO, Bill Anderson, has committed to making significant progress toward resolving the remaining Roundup cases in 2026.
Bayer Lowers 2025 Earnings Forecast Amid Roundup Litigation Costs
Bayer has revised its 2025 earnings forecast downward by approximately $4 billion, attributing the reduction primarily to expenses from ongoing Roundup litigation and executive buyout packages. Despite these costs, which include jury awards and settlements for plaintiffs who developed cancer after using the herbicide, the company still projects robust earnings of at least $10 billion for the year. This financial adjustment reflects the continued significant impact of the massive product liability litigation on the company's bottom line.
About The Roundup Lawsuit
When you think of weed killers, there’s a good chance Roundup is the first that comes to mind. It’s frequently used in agriculture, meaning you probably consume produce treated with the herbicide on a regular basis. You may have even used it yourself on your lawn or garden.
Despite Roundup’s widespread use, the weedkiller has serious safety concerns. In one of the biggest hits to its hotly disputed safety profile, thousands of people have filed lawsuits claiming Roundup’s active ingredient, glyphosate, caused them to develop serious health problems—including cancers like non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), leukemia, and multiple myeloma.
Roundup lawsuits have already resulted in billions of dollars in payouts and major changes to the herbicide’s ingredient list, demonstrating plaintiffs’ power to enact change. The litigation is ongoing, and impacted parties are encouraged to seek justice by filing a Roundup claim against owners Monsanto and Bayer.
What Are The Main Legal Allegations?
All over the United States, lawsuits have been filed against Monsanto and Bayer by those claiming that Roundup weed killer caused them to develop cancer.
The lawsuits make serious allegations, including:
- Failure to warn about cancer risks. Monsanto and Bayer knew of glyphosate’s dangers but did not warn consumers.
- Negligent misrepresentation. Despite knowing of the dangers, the companies intentionally misled the public about Roundup’s safety.
- Manufacturing and selling a defective product. Monsanto and Bayer failed to maintain quality standards by creating a dangerous, improperly regulated product.
Why Is Roundup Controversial?
Roundup is controversial because exposure to it has been linked to cancer in humans. If you’ve tried researching the weedkiller’s safety, you likely encountered conflicting information that left you confused. Some health agencies recognize glyphosate’s carcinogenic properties while others do not, making the risks difficult to understand.
Certain agencies label glyphosate a probable human carcinogen (cancer-causing substance), such as:
- The World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC): classifies glyphosate as Group 2A, “probably carcinogenic to humans”
- California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA): lists glyphosate under Proposition 65 as causing cancer
- The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR): links glyphosate to an increased risk of cancer in humans
Others deny glyphosate’s link to cancer, including:
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): states glyphosate is “unlikely to be a human carcinogen”
- The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA): claims glyphosate does not meet the criteria for a carcinogen
- The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA): claims the chemical glyphosate has low toxicity to humans
So why the conflicting—and wavering—opinions? Some believe the answer lies in the way glyphosate studies were funded. Agencies like the IARC that label the chemical a carcinogen did not consider industry-funded studies. On the other hand, the EPA and EFSA defend glyphosate’s safety based on studies funded by Monsanto and Bayer—leading to major concerns about bias and industry influence.
Shockingly, some evidence suggests that Monsanto worked with the EPA to repress reports that exposed glyphosate’s risks. Former scientific advisers to the EPA even claim that the agency failed to follow its own scientific protocol when assessing glyphosate’s safety, resulting in an invalid conclusion regarding the chemical’s risks.
Roundup Health Risks & Lawsuit Eligibility
Roundup exposure can occur through skin contact, inhalation of spray particles, or accidental ingestion, especially among landscapers, groundskeepers, agricultural workers, and homeowners using the weedkiller on their lawns or gardens. Research has linked glyphosate — Roundup’s active ingredient — to serious health risks, including DNA damage, immune dysfunction, and a significantly increased likelihood of developing Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL).
Who Qualifies for the Roundup Lawsuit?
You may qualify for the Roundup lawsuit if you were exposed to the herbicide and later developed a cancer type associated with glyphosate. This includes individuals exposed through:
- Occupational use (landscaping, farming, groundskeeping, agriculture)
- Household use (lawns, gardens, private properties)
- Environmental exposure (drift, contaminated soil, or nearby spraying)
To be eligible, you must generally meet the following qualification criteria:
Primary Eligibility Requirements
- You were diagnosed with a qualifying cancer linked to Roundup exposure.
- Your diagnosis occurred between 1990 and the present.
Qualifying Cancers for the Roundup Lawsuit
Individuals diagnosed with the following cancers — all subtypes of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma — may be eligible to file a claim:
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL)
- Anaplastic large cell lymphoma
- B-lymphoblastic lymphoma
- Burkitt lymphoma
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
- Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
- Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
- Extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma
- Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue
- Follicular lymphoma and hairy cell leukemia
- Large granular lymphocytic leukemia
- Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia)
- Mantle cell lymphoma
- Marginal zone B-cell lymphomas
- Mycosis fungoides
- Nodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma
- Peripheral T-cell lymphomas
- Primary central nervous system lymphoma
- Sezary syndrome
- Small lymphocytic lymphoma
- Splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma
- Any other subtype of NHL.
If You Don’t Have a Confirmed Diagnosis
If you are experiencing symptoms or health issues associated with glyphosate exposure but do not yet have a documented cancer diagnosis, you may still qualify depending on your medical evaluation and exposure history.
The Case Against Glyphosate
Concerningly, a large body of research points to glyphosate’s cancer-causing potential. These are just a few of many such studies:
- Glyphosate hazard assessment (2023): Exposed glyphosate’s ability to damage DNA, leading to cancer development.
- Systematic glyphosate research review (2023): After reviewing 175 studies on glyphosate, researchers found “strong evidence” of the chemical’s carcinogenicity.
- Herbicide exposure and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) study (2023): Exposure to glyphosate was associated with a 2.2 times increase in Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma risk.
- Glyphosate and animal carcinogenicity data review (2020): A review of existing studies determined that glyphosate causes multiple kinds of cancer in rodents.
- Pesticide use and cancer risk study (2019): This study of more than 30,000 agricultural workers found a link between glyphosate exposure and cancer.
At no point have Monsanto and Bayer ever admitted to the dangers of Roundup; in fact, they continue to stand by glyphosate’s safety even in the face of thousands of plaintiffs who claim their cancer was caused by exposure to the Roundup weedkiller. But the pressure is on, and victims’ voices are becoming increasingly harder to ignore as plaintiffs continually demand answers from these corporate giants.
How Roundup has impacted consumers
Heartbreakingly, these disturbing research findings reach far beyond the academic setting—countless patients suffer the catastrophic real-life consequences of Roundup exposure. Thousands of them have bravely come forward to hold Monsanto and Bayer accountable for the devastation they’ve caused.
These are just a few of their stories.
Dewayne “Lee” Johnson
Employed as a school groundskeeper in California in 2013, Dewayne “Lee” Johnson began frequently using Ranger Pro, Monsanto’s commercial-grade, glyphosate-based herbicide similar to Roundup.
Reassured that the weed killer was “safe enough to drink,” Johnson wasn’t alarmed when he was drenched in it from head to toe during a workplace accident. Not long after, he noticed a lesion on his knee, which continued to spread—eventually engulfing his entire body. This was the first symptom that led to his eventual diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Johnson fought for answers, but his pleas for help went unanswered by Monsanto. As his condition continued to deteriorate, he filed a lawsuit against the biopharmaceutical behemoth. Johnson’s case served as the bellwether trial that set the stage for future Roundup lawsuits.
A jury ruled in his favor, and he was initially awarded $289 million. Johnson ultimately received $20.5 in damages following Monsanto’s appeal.
Alva and Alberta Pilliod
Since the 1970s, Alva and Alberta Pilliod relied on Roundup to maintain a well-manicured lawn. Married for over 50 years, the couple trusted Monsanto’s stance on Roundup’s safety and felt confident using the weedkiller around their two kids and four grandchildren.
Incredibly, both Alva and Alberta were eventually diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). Alva was diagnosed with NHL of the bones in 2011, and Alberta received a diagnosis of NHL brain cancer in 2015.
The Pilliods believe their diagnoses are a direct result of Roundup exposure over the decades. They sued Monsanto in 2017, claiming the corporation knew of glyphosate’s dangers but neglected to warn consumers. The couple further asserted they would have used proper protective equipment had they known of the risks.
A jury ruled in favor of the Pilliods, who were first awarded $2 billion in damages. Following several appeals, the couple eventually received $87 million.
William Melissen
Over three decades, William Melissen routinely used Roundup both at work and home. Melissen believed the glyphosate-based weedkiller was safe to use since Monsanto failed to provide any cancer-related warnings on the product’s label.
In 2020, when he was just 51 years old, the Pennsylvania man was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Once he became aware of glyphosate’s link to cancer, he was certain Roundup exposure was to blame for his NHL diagnosis.
Melissen and his wife, Margaret, filed a lawsuit against Monsanto and Bayer in 2021. Though the powerful corporations staunchly defended Roundup’s safety, a jury eventually ruled in favor of the Melissens, awarding them $78 million in damages.
Important Roundup Lawsuit Updates
- 1970: A Monsanto scientist discovers glyphosate’s weedkilling properties.
- 1974: Monsanto begins selling the chemical to consumers and farmers as Roundup.
- 1980s: Monsanto becomes aware of glyphosate’s potential to cause cancer but neglects to warn consumers.
- 1985: Based on studies that showed tumor growth in mice, the U.S. EPA classified glyphosate as a possible human carcinogen.
- 1991: The EPA inexplicably reverses its stance on glyphosate’s cancer-causing properties.
- 2015: The WHO’s IARC classifies the chemical as a “probably human carcinogen (Group 2A) based on evidence suggesting a link to non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
- 2016: The first Roundup lawsuit is filed against Monsanto by Dwayne “Lee” Johnson, who developed NHL after exposure to a glyphosate-based herbicide.
- 2018: Johnson v. Monsanto goes to trial, resulting in a victory for Johnson and an initial award of $289 million (later reduced to $20.5 million).
- 2020: Bayer agrees to a $10 billion Roundup settlement to resolve the tens of thousands of pending Roundup cases, though it refuses to admit culpability. The EPA issues an interim registration review decision, reaffirming its stance that glyphosate is unlikely to be carcinogenic.
- 2022: The U.S. Court of Appeals overturns the EPA’s decision, stating the agency arrived at its conclusion about glyphosate by failing to follow proper scientific protocol. Though it continues to stand by the chemical’s safety, Bayer removes glyphosate from consumer Roundup formulations in the US to “reduce litigation risk.”
- 2023: New studies continue to find strong links between glyphosate exposure and cancer.
- 2024 to present: Roundup litigation continues, with thousands of cases pending.
I’m Ready To Join The Lawsuit: What’s Next?
If you or a loved one was harmed by Roundup weed killer, you may be considering joining the lawsuit settlement. But cancer diagnoses often come with soaring medical bills, lost wages, and other financial strains, so you might be concerned about how much it costs to hire an attorney.
Fortunately, most lawyers who work on Roundup cases don’t require upfront fees. Instead, they work on a contingency fee basis. That means you only pay if you win your case. If your case is successful, your attorney is paid a portion of your compensation. This gives all individuals impacted by Roundup an equal chance at justice.
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