... as U.S. Supreme Court upholds Roundup award for millions

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected another Bayer-Monsanto bid to dismiss litigation alleging that its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer.

 By TOTT News 

Justice served for Bayer and the EPA.

BAYER LOSES AGAIN

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Bayer-Monsanto’s (BAYGn.DE) bid to dismiss legal claims by customers who contend its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer.

The justices denied Monsanto-Bayer’s petition to quash a $27 million in damages claim in favour of cancer-stricken farmer, Edwin Hardeman, that was upheld by the 9th Circuit Appeals Court. 

As per the custom, the Supreme Court provided no reasons for its decision, however, it came a month after receiving a 30-page brief from the U.S. Attorney General urging the Court to deny Monsanto’s petition.

Bayer’s shares were down 2.9% following the news, eliminating gains over the previous two trading sessions.

The blow to Bayer as the company manoeuvres to limit its legal liability in thousands of cases. The justices have a second Bayer petition pending on a related issue that they could act upon in the coming weeks.

Bayer has lost three trials in which Roundup users have been awarded tens of millions of dollars in each, while also winning four trials. Bayer had pinned hopes for relief on the conservative-majority Supreme Court.

Bayer said it “respectfully disagrees” with the court’s decision and that the company is “fully prepared to manage the litigation risk associated with potential future claims in the U.S.”

Bayer said in its annual report that it had resolved about 107,000 cases out of about 138,000 cases overall.

Bayer, which also makes aspirin, birth-control pills, stroke prevention drugs and other products, has argued that the cancer claims over Roundup and glyphosate go against ‘sound science’ and EPA product clearance.

As a result, the EPA are now being investigated for their role in allowing this to happen.