Editing Roundup (herbicide) (section)

===Cancer cases===
<!-- If you update this, consider also updating [[Glyphosate]], [[Glyphosate-based herbicides]], [[Monsanto]], and [[Bayer]]. -->

As of October 30, 2019, there were more than 42,000 plaintiffs who said that glyphosate herbicides caused their cancer.<ref>{{cite news
  |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-30/bayer-is-now-facing-42-700-plaintiffs-in-roundup-litigation
  |title=Bayer's Roundup Headache Grows as Plaintiffs Pile Into Court
  |date=October 30, 2019  |publisher=[[Bloomberg News]]  |access-date=October 31, 2019
  |language=en}}</ref> After the [[International Agency for Research on Cancer|IARC]] classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" in March 2015,<ref name="iarcmono" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=IARC Monograph on Glyphosate |url=https://www.iarc.who.int/featured-news/media-centre-iarc-news-glyphosate/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220712185952/https://www.iarc.who.int/featured-news/media-centre-iarc-news-glyphosate/ |archive-date=2022-07-12 |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=[[International Agency for Research on Cancer]]}}</ref> many state and federal lawsuits were filed in the United States. Early on, over 300 of them were consolidated into a [[multidistrict litigation]] called [[Monsanto legal cases|''In re: RoundUp Products Liability'']].<ref>{{Cite news
|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-14/monsanto-judge-pictures-weed-killer-showers-amid-cancer-debate
|title=Monsanto's Cancer Fight Judge Pictures Weed Killer Showers
|date=March 14, 2018 |access-date=August 17, 2018 |publisher=[[Bloomberg News]]}}</ref>

On August 10, 2018, [[Dewayne "Lee" Johnson|Dewayne Johnson]], who has [[Non-Hodgkin lymphoma|non-Hodgkin's lymphoma]], was awarded $289 million in damages (later cut to $78 million on appeal<ref>{{cite news
    |title=Groundskeeper Accepts Reduced $78 Million Award In Monsanto Cancer Suit
    |first=Emily |last=Sullivan |publisher=[[National Public Radio]]
    |url=https://www.npr.org/2018/11/01/662812333/groundskeeper-accepts-reduced-78-million-in-monsanto-cancer-suit
    |access-date=July 29, 2019}}</ref> then reduced to $21 million after another appeal<ref>{{cite news
|last1=Egelko |first1=Bob |title=Award to Vallejo groundskeeper in Monsanto cancer case slashed again - verdict upheld
|url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Award-to-Vallejo-groundskeeper-in-Monsanto-cancer-15421705.php
|access-date=March 3, 2021 |publisher=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]
|date=July 21, 2020}}</ref>) after a jury in [[San Francisco]] found that Monsanto had failed to adequately warn consumers of cancer risks posed by the herbicide.<ref>{{cite news
     |title=Monsanto ordered to pay $289 million in world's first Roundup...
     |work=Reuters  |access-date=August 17, 2018 |date=August 11, 2018
     |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-monsanto-cancer-lawsuit/jury-orders-monsanto-to-pay-290-million-in-california-roundup-cancer-trial-idUSKBN1KV2HB}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45154362
|title=Weedkiller 'doesn't cause cancer' - Bayer
|date=August 11, 2018 |work=[[BBC News]]  |access-date=August 11, 2018
|language=en-GB}}</ref> Johnson had routinely used two different glyphosate formulations in his work as a groundskeeper, RoundUp and another Monsanto product called Ranger Pro.<ref name="smh">{{Cite news
|last=Johnston |first=Gretel |title=Dying cancer patient awarded $395m in Monsanto Roundup case
|work=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=August 18, 2018 |date=August 11, 2018
|url= https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/dying-cancer-patient-awarded-a395m-in-monsanto-roundup-case-20180811-p4zwww.html}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last1=Judkins |first1=Donna R |title=Draft Ecological Risk Assessment for the Registration Review of Dichlorvos, Naled, and Trichlorfon |date=June 17, 2020 |page=33 |publisher=UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY |last2=Wente |first2=Stephen P}}</ref> The jury's verdict addressed the question of whether Monsanto knowingly failed to warn consumers that RoundUp could be harmful, but not whether RoundUp causes cancer.<ref>{{Cite news |issn=0027-8378 |last=Ebersole |first=Rene |title=Monsanto Just Lost a Case Linking Its Weed Killer to Cancer |magazine=[[The Nation]] |access-date=August 18, 2018 |date=August 17, 2018 |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/monsanto-just-lost-a-case-linking-its-weedkiller-to-cancer/ |archive-date=August 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817153043/https://www.thenation.com/article/monsanto-just-lost-a-case-linking-its-weedkiller-to-cancer/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Court documents from the case alleged the company's efforts to influence scientific research via [[Medical ghostwriter|ghostwriting]].<ref name=HakimNYT>{{Cite news |work=[[The New York Times]] 
  |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/01/business/monsantos-sway-over-research-is-seen-in-disclosed-emails.html
  |title=Monsanto Emails Raise Issue of Influencing Research on Roundup Weed Killer
  |first=Danny |last=Hakim |date=August 1, 2018 |access-date=October 13, 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

In January 2019, [[Costco]] decided to stop carrying Roundup or other glyphosate-based herbicides. The decision was reportedly influenced in part by the public court cases.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://people.com/home/costco-removes-roundup-after-2-billion-lawsuit
|title=Costco Will Reportedly Remove Roundup from Stores After $2 Billion Awarded to Couple Who Claimed Weed Killer Caused Their Cancer
|magazine=[[People (magazine)|People magazine]] |language=en |access-date=December 8, 2019}}</ref>

In March 2019, a man was awarded $80 million (later cut to $26 million on appeal<ref name="AP2019-07-15">{{cite news|url=https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2019/07/15/80-million-award-reduced-monsanto-roundup-cancer-patient/|title=Judge Reduces $80M Award In Roundup Case; Cancer Patient, Monsanto Both Consider Appeal|date=2019-07-15|access-date=2019-07-27|publisher=[[KPIX-TV]]|agency=Associated Press|location=San Francisco}}</ref>) in a lawsuit claiming Roundup was a substantial factor in his cancer.<ref>{{cite news | title = Jury Awards $80 Million In Damages In Roundup Weed Killer Cancer Trial |first=Richard |last=Gonzales |date=March 29, 2019 |publisher=[[NPR]] 
|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/03/27/707439575/jury-awards-80-million-in-damages-in-roundup-weed-killer-cancer-trial | access-date=2019-07-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Louisville lawyer wins $80M verdict against Monsanto over weedkiller Roundup | first = Andrew | last = Wolfson | work = [[The Courier-Journal]] | location = Louisville, Kentucky | date = 2019-03-28 | url = https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2019/03/28/monsanto-roundup-cancer-lawsuit-louisville-lawyer-wins-huge-verdict-80-million/3295421002/ | access-date = 2019-07-29}}</ref> U.S. District Judge [[Vince Chhabria]] stated that a punitive award was appropriate because the evidence "easily supported a conclusion that Monsanto was more concerned with tamping down safety inquiries and manipulating public opinion than it was with ensuring its product is safe."  Chhabria stated that there was evidence on both sides as to whether glyphosate causes cancer, and that the behavior of Monsanto showed "a lack of concern about the risk that its product might be carcinogenic."<ref name="AP2019-07-15" />

On May 13, 2019, a jury in California ordered Bayer to pay a couple $2 billion in damages (later cut to $87 million on appeal<ref name=LessGelt2B>{{cite news
|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/07/26/judge-cuts-billion-award-couple-with-cancer-million-roundup-lawsuit
|title=Judge cuts $2 billion award for couple with cancer to $86.7 million in Roundup lawsuit |last=Telford |first=Taylor
|date=July 26, 2019 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]
|access-date=July 27, 2019}}</ref>) after finding that the company had failed to adequately inform consumers of the possible carcinogenicity of Roundup.<ref>{{Cite news
|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-13/bayer-loses-its-third-trial-over-claims-roundup-causes-cancer
|title=Bayer's $2 Billion Roundup Damages Boost Pressure to Settle
|newspaper=Bloomberg.com |date=May 13, 2019 |publisher=Bloomberg News |access-date=May 14, 2019}}</ref> On December 19, 2019, it was announced that Timothy Litzenburg, the lawyer for the RoundUp Virginia plaintiffs had been charged with extortion after offering to stop searching for more plaintiffs if he was paid a $200 million consulting fee by a manufacturer of glyphosate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/timothy-litzenburg-former-monsanto-roundup-lawyer-charged-with-extortion/|title=Roundup suit lawyer accused of $200 million extortion plot|website=[[CBS News]] |date=December 18, 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.agri-pulse.com/articles/12976-lawyer-for-roundup-plaintiffs-charged-with-extortion|title = Lawyer for Roundup plaintiffs charged with extortion}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-otc-masstorts/doj-charges-roundup-plaintiffs-lawyer-in-200-million-alleged-extortion-scheme-idUSKBN1YM2L9|title = DOJ charges Roundup plaintiffs' lawyer in $200 million alleged extortion scheme|newspaper = Reuters|date = 19 December 2019}}</ref> Litzenburg and his partner Daniel Kincheloe pleaded guilty to the charges and they were sentenced to two and one years in prison respectively.<ref>{{cite news
   |title=Virginia lawyers get prison terms for $200M Roundup extortion scheme
   |url=https://today.westlaw.com/Document/I50a628d0f9f211eaadd8fa89d4036ae0/View/FullText.html
   |access-date=December 1, 2021 |website=[[Westlaw|Westlaw Today]] |agency=Reuters Legal |date=September 18, 2020}}</ref>

In June 2020, Bayer agreed to settle more than a hundred thousand Roundup lawsuits, agreeing to pay $8.8 to $9.6 billion to settle those claims, and $1.5 billion for any future claims. The settlement does not include three cases that have already gone to jury trials and are being appealed.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2020/06/24/882949098/bayer-to-pay-more-than-10-billion-to-resolve-roundup-cancer-lawsuits Bayer To Pay More Than $10 Billion To Resolve Cancer Lawsuits Over Weedkiller Roundup]</ref> However the settlement was not allowed to cover future cases.<ref name=":1" />

In the 2020s, facing billions of dollars in more claims, Bayer lobbied the U.S. Congress and state legislatures to change legal standards for pesticide labeling in an attempt to reduce its liability.<ref name="WashPo">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/06/20/bayer-roundup-farm-bill-lobbying/ |title=Bayer lobbies Congress to help fight lawsuits tying Roundup to cancer |date=June 20, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post |author=Tony Romm}}</ref> {{As of|2024}}, the US EPA planned to reevaluate regulations in 2026.<ref name="WashPo" />

In May 2025, Bayer announced that it was making another push to settle the pending lawsuits and that it would consider a [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11 bankruptcy]] for its Monsanto division if the settlement plan was not successful.<ref name=Ch11>{{Cite web |title=MSN |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/bayer-seeks-new-roundup-settlement-while-exploring-monsanto-bankruptcy/ar-AA1ERE1l |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=www.msn.com}}</ref> The company engaged law firms [[Latham & Watkins]] and [[AlixPartners]] to review its options.<ref name=Ch11/>