Bayer’s Monsanto division raided its petty cash to settle 95,000 claims with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma sufferers in the USA for near $11 billion. Another $1.25 billion is for potential future claims from at least 30,000 other Roundup users also suffering the disease.
By Bob Phelps.
Plaintiffs’ illnesses resulted from long term exposure to Roundup herbicide and its active ingredient glyphosate. But despite making the compensation payments, Bayer denies that Roundup herbicide induces Lymphomas and debunks the strong scientific evidence of harm.
“Claimants will receive the miserly sum of US$5,000 to $250,000, depending on the strength of each case,” says Bob Phelps, Director of GeneEthics.
“Yet another corporation sells defective and unsafe products to maximise profits, then throws crumbs to the unwitting victims of its disgraceful cheating.
“This deal is a travesty of fairness and justice that offers little to Roundup’s victims for their pain, suffering and terminal illnesses.
“The settlement is extremely mean as Bayer’s total assets at the end of 2019 were about US$140 billion, including Monsanto which it bought for $66 billion in 2017.
“The payouts are a pittance compared with around $80 million awarded to each of four plaintiffs in three earlier trials, when Dewayne Johnson, the Pilliod couple and Edwin Hardeman successfully brought NHL claims against Bayer/Monsanto.
“After weeks of hearing evidence, the juries in those trials all found Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicides, such as Roundup, caused non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
“They also awarded large punitive damages after being convinced by the evidence that Monsanto knew for a long time that Roundup was a health hazard but failed to warn users.
Those trial verdicts are now on appeal and Bayer says the plaintiffs in those cases are not included in the present settlement.
The mediated settlement takes any future findings on cancer claims out of juries’ hands, Bayer says. A “Class Science Panel” will determine whether or not Roundup causes non-Hodgkins lymphoma and the minimum harmful exposure dose.
“The chances of such a panel being stacked are very high and it’s a stalling tactic,” he says
“Plaintiffs must await the Panel’s decisions before making further claims, delaying the process for several years, and the award of any punitive damages will also be ruled out,” Mr Phelps concludes.
More comment: Bob Phelps 0449 769 066
Bob Phelps
Executive Director
GeneEthics
PO Box 400,
Emerald Vic 3782
Australia
Tel: +613 5968 2996
Mob: +614 4976 9066
Email: info@geneethics.org
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