Class Actions

Monsanto Case Investigation

Have you or a friend or family member experienced adverse health effects after using the popular herbicide Roundup?

Developed in the 1970s by Monsanto (now owned and operated by Bayer), Roundup is a systemic herbicide which was lauded as the cure to backyard weeds. Unfortunately, it appears that many people who have worked closely with this herbicide have experienced an increased risk of cancers such as non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma as well as a variety of other cancers and illnesses.

How does Roundup work?

Utilizing the compound Glyphosate, Roundup stops plant growth, especially in broad leaf plants and grass. Glyphosate inhibits the shikimic acid pathway, which is vital for plants, and some microorganism, to grow.

Due to its effectiveness in killing weeds, Roundup was quickly adopted at a large scale in agricultural environments in order to kill vast amounts of weeds easily and boost yields. This was closely followed by the development of “Round-up Ready” crops, which were immune to the effects of Glyphosate and could be sprayed with the weed killer without the crop being affected.

How can Roundup affect your health?

Sold in practically all hardware stores, nurseries and even supermarkets, Roundup is readily accessible to all home gardeners, as well as being used daily by those who work in the horticulture and agriculture industries. So, what effects can exposure to Roundup have on your body?

While Monsanto (now Bayer) marketed Roundup as being safe for humans, as Glyphosate only disrupts plant pathways (with Roundup salesman even drinking cups of Roundup to support their claims) it appears this is not the case. According to attorneys bringing a class action suit against Monsanto in the US, this claim is “false, misleading and deceptive.”

The enzyme pathway targeted by Roundup is not only used by plants but is also vital for our gut biota. Made up of billions of microorganisms including fungi and bacteria, our microbiota is vital to our capacity to live a healthy life. When exposed to Glyphosate, our microbiota can be disrupted, leading to an array of health issues including some cancers, kidney diseases and other abnormalities.

Claims of Roundup’s safety too, are often based on studies in which only the active ingredient, Glyphosate was tested, while the entire product was not. Pesticides, like Roundup, are formulations made of a variety of ingredients, many of which are kept confidential by the creator of the herbicide, and only the active ingredient (Glyphosate) tested for safety. One study found that, when tested as a whole product against the active ingredient, Roundup was among the most toxic of all herbicides and insecticides tested and could potentially be up to one thousand times more toxic than Glyphosate tested alone.[1]

What happens if you’ve been exposed to Roundup and become unwell?

Monsanto (now Bayer), the creator of Roundup, is facing claims the company failed to warn users that extended exposure to the weed killer has been linked to certain forms of cancer. As a result, thousands of lawsuits have been filed by cancer victims against Monsanto in the US, alleging that the weed killer causes cancer. Juries in two recent cases have reviewed the Roundup cancer evidence, found Monsanto liable and ordered the company to pay millions of dollars in damages to victims.

LHD Lawyers are encouraging those affected by Monsanto’s Roundup to register their interest for a case evaluation. You may have a right to demand compensation from Monsanto for physical pain, mental suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, physical impairment, grief, anxiety, and emotional distress.

Please register your interest by contacting us on 1800 838 481 or fill out our contact form and we can advise you on your legal rights and support you in this hard time.

[1] Mesnage R, Defarge N, Spiroux de Vendômois J, Séralini GE. Major pesticides are more toxic to human cells than their declared active principles. Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:179691. doi:10.1155/2014/179691

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