Bayer agrees to $7.25 billion settlement over roundup cancer lawsuits

Agrochemical giant Bayer has announced a proposed $7.25 billion settlement to resolve thousands of lawsuits alleging the company failed to adequately warn consumers that its widely-used Roundup weedkiller could cause cancer. The settlement, announced Tuesday by Bayer and attorneys representing cancer patients, represents one of the largest product liability settlements in recent history.

The lawsuits center on claims that Bayer knew or should have known about potential cancer risks associated with Roundup, particularly its active ingredient glyphosate, but failed to provide proper warnings to users. Thousands of plaintiffs, many of whom are farmers, landscapers, and homeowners who regularly used the herbicide, allege their cancer diagnoses are linked to Roundup exposure.

This settlement proposal comes at a critical time as the US Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments in a separate case that could significantly impact future Roundup litigation. Bayer is arguing that the Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of Roundup without requiring cancer warnings should shield the company from state court claims. However, this Supreme Court case would remain unaffected by the proposed settlement, potentially influencing how similar product liability cases are handled in the future.

The settlement, if approved, would provide compensation to affected individuals while allowing Bayer to move forward from years of costly litigation that has plagued the company since its acquisition of Roundup manufacturer Monsanto in 2018.