Germany’s Bayer is under increasing pressure after a second jury found weedkiller Roundup causes cancer.
Bayer purchased longtime Roundup manufacturer Monsanto for $63 billion last year.
Bayer feels the heat
Following the jury’s March 19 decision:
- Bayer stocks fell more than 12 percent, taking $9.1 billion off the company’s valuation
- Municipalities across the country, including Los Angeles County, are banning the use of Roundup
- Companies such as Costco are removing Roundup from their shelves
Bayer denies that Roundup causes cancer. Roundup was the first weed killer to use glyphosate, which is no longer patent-protected and widely available.
The jury didn’t rule on Bayer’s liability. A trial on liability and damages is underway.
August decision
In August, a California man was awarded $289 million after a jury found Roundup caused his non-Hodgkins lymphoma. The jury determined Monsanto deliberately failed to warn U.S. regulators or consumers about the risks. The award was later reduced to $78 million. The decision is under appeal.
There are nearly 11,200 lawsuits against Roundup ready to go to trial in the U.S. More than 750 cases against Roundup have been consolidated in San Francisco’s federal court.
The Environmental Protection Agency and European Chemicals Agency has determined glyphosate does not cause cancer, while the World Health Organization says it is a likely carcinogen.
