Roundup Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma Claims Filed by Three Farmers and an Agronomist

A product liability lawsuit filed this month against Monstanto alleges that three different farmers and an agronomist all developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL) due to side effects of Roundup exposure, indicating that the manufacturer of the popular weedkiller failed to provide adequate warnings about the risk of cancer. 

The complaint (PDF) was filed on behalf of four unrelated men in the U.S. District Court of Nebraska on May 11, indicating that each of them had no idea that Roundup may have been the cause of their cancer until the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) determined last year that the active ingredient in Roundup, glyphosate, is a probable human carcinogen.

Each of the plaintiffs allege that they developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma from Roundup, which involves a group of similar cancers that attack the lymphatic system, including obert L. Dickey, a farmer diagnosed in 2009; Larry E. Domina, a farmer diagnosed in 2012; Royce D. Janzen, a farmer diagnosed in 2013; and Frank Pollard, an agronomist who worked with Roundup before his diagnosis in 2016.

A recent U.S. Geological Survey on Roundup and other glyphosate-based weedkillers used nationwide found that an estimated 2.6 billion pounds of the herbicide has been sprayed on America’s agricultural land over the two decades since the mid-1990s, when Monsanto introduced “Roundup Ready” crops that are designed to survive being sprayed with glyphosate, killing the weeds but not the crops.

Roundup Cancer Concerns

The complaint is one of a growing number of Roundup lawsuits filed by individuals nationwide who have been diagnosed with cancer, particularly non-Hodgkins lymphoma, since the IARC released its findings.

The report has stirred concerns worldwide over the most popular herbicide in use. There have been a number of bans in states, cities and countries across the planet, and the European Commission is reportedly considering re-licensing Roundup for only nine years, instead of its usual 15 year chemical use license. A final decision is expected this week.

At a meeting in March, the countries of Italy, France, Sweden and the Netherlands opposed the renewal of a 15-year license for glyphosate. The current license could expire in June 2016 if the chemical is not re-approved.

In a vote of 347 to 225 in April, the European parliament urged glyphosate restrictions and called for Roundup and other similar weedkillers to only be renewed for seven years.

Monsanto has aggressively criticized the decision to list their Roundup as a human carcinogen, dismissing the IARC findings as agenda driven and based on “junk science.”

Earlier this month, a number of media reports indicate documents briefly posted by the EPA indicate that herbicide glyphosate is “not likely” to cause cancer.

While the documents were quickly removed and EPA officials confirmed that the review remains incomplete, the posting of the documents suggest that some reviewers inside the agency also disagree with the IARC’s findings.

After the report was taken down, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space and technology launched an investigation (PDF) into the accidental publishing of the draft report. Committee members said the mistaken release raises questions on whether glyphosate was being assessed fairly.

According to allegations in this recent lawsuit, as well as other Roundup non-Hodgkins lymphoma claims, plaintiffs may have avoided a cancer diagnosis if they had been warned about the risks associated with the chemical, as safety precautions could have been taken or other products could have been used to control the growth of weeds.