Supreme Court ruling blocks thousands of lawsuits against maker of Roundup weedkiller

The Supreme Court on Thursday sided with Bayer, the maker of the Roundup weedkiller, in a decision expected to block thousands of lawsuits claiming the product causes cancer. The high court's 7-2 ruling determined that the company cannot be sued in state courts, as federal regulations have found a cancer link unlikely and do not mandate a warning label.

This decision is a victory for Bayer, which acquired Roundup's original manufacturer Monsanto in 2018. The company has faced a wave of litigation, including multibillion-dollar verdicts. Bayer stated the ruling "is good for science, farmers, and industries that depend on regulatory clarity for innovation." The company also noted the decision should help "significantly contain the Roundup litigation after nearly a decade of legal battles."

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is good for science, farmers, and industries that depend on regulatory clarity for innovation. It should help significantly contain the Roundup litigation after nearly a decade of legal battles.

Despite the ruling, Bayer plans to move forward with a proposed $7.25 billion class-action settlement to address many of the remaining claims. However, lawyers for some plaintiffs expressed disappointment. "This Supreme Court ruling wrongly slams the courthouse door on Americans sickened by pesticides," said attorney Christopher Seeger, a proposed claimants' representative in the settlement. He added that the settlement would still allow some individuals to receive compensation.

The case originated with Missouri resident John Durnell, who developed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after years of using Roundup. A jury initially agreed that the company failed to warn him of potential cancer risks and awarded him $1.25 million. The debate over glyphosate, Roundup's key ingredient, continues, with the World Health Organization classifying it as "probably carcinogenic" while the Environmental Protection Agency maintains it is not likely to cause cancer when used as directed.

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This Supreme Court ruling wrongly slams the courthouse door on Americans sickened by pesticides.