Most people are aware of the litigation currently pending against Monsanto, the manufacturers, and distributors of RoundUp weed killer. Even if you’re not very familiar with the case, you’ve probably seen commercials about the lawsuits on television. Research into Roundup shows the active ingredient, glyphosate, could be a carcinogen. Basically, thousands of cases have been filed against Monsanto based on this claim. Hundreds of people have died and thousands more are dying of cancer because they were exposed to RoundUp.
Glyphosate has been labeled a cancer-causing agent, or carcinogen, by the World Health Organization. In fact, it was when the WHO named glyphosate as a carcinogen in 2015 that the litigation against Monsanto started.
Ever since Monsanto has made every effort to thwart the efforts of scientists investigating the cancer-causing properties of glyphosate.
Monsanto’s Efforts at Defunding the International Agency for Research on Cancer Because of Their Research Into Roundup
It’s in Monsanto’s best interests to shut down any research into RoundUp. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is one of the leading organizations on cancer research. Monsanto has made it its mission to cut all funding for this research. They figure, this way, it’ll be harder for plaintiffs to prove that RoundUp causes cancer.
Republicans are also pushing to defund the IARC. However, they claim that it’s because they’re defending small farmers who are being hurt by this kind of research into Roundup. In reality, they don’t really care about farmers. They’re doing what they’ve been told to do by Monsanto.
Monsanto actually paid consultants to push politicians to fight the IARC funding. They actually have lawyers who used to work for Monsanto controlling lobbyist groups who are pushing defunding of the IARC.
Internal Emails at Monsanto Proves Collusion
There are newly disclosed files that came out of some of the resolved Monsanto trials in California. For example, internal documents, memos, and deposition transcripts are bringing new information to light.
These documents also prove that Monsanto VP, Michael Dykes laid out an entire plan to defund the IARC and lobby for cancer research to be cut off. Monsanto claimed that, since the EPA said glyphosate is safe for use, they should’ve been cleared. They also believe this means the IARC has no further need to investigate the cancer-causing properties of glyphosate.
Monsanto used their influence with lawmakers to antagonize regulators and threaten the people doing the research into Roundup. They went so far as to write letters to key staff at various organizations, claiming to be a lawmaker on the House Appropriations Committee. These letters actually came from a consulting firm hired by Monsanto and spearheaded by a lawyer who used to work for Monsanto.
They were caught writing these fake letters. The letters basically threatened members of the EPA, USDA and State Department who were backing the IARC. And, since Monsanto was pretending these letters were from actual lawmakers, the threats were taken seriously.
What Does This Mean for Monsanto?
Monsanto has already had a handful of cases decided against them. They have been ordered to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. They are even facing possible punitive damages in some cases. So this kind of information isn’t going to help them going forward.
It’s going to be difficult for Monsanto to claim that their product doesn’t cause cancer when they’ve been caught falsifying letters in an effort to defund cancer research. The fact that there are internal documents and emails proving that they’ve signed lawmakers’ names to documents doesn’t help.
Even if there was a chance that they could convince a jury that their product was safe before, the odds of that happening now are slim to none. Why would a company try so hard to intimidate a cancer research institution if there was nothing wrong with their product?
Contact a Mass Tort Lawyer if You’ve Been Injured by Roundup Weed Killer
If you or a loved one have become sick or injured due to exposure to RoundUp, you need to call an experienced mass tort lawyer in Los Angeles, CA today. The time to file a lawsuit is quickly closing. You don’t want to miss out on the compensation you deserve because you waited too long to speak with an attorney.
The evidence against Monsanto is quickly building and you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Contact us today to see how we can help you with your case. We can answer your legal questions and provide you with all your options. We are ready to assist you now.
