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Had he been informed of possible health risks around RoundUp or RangerPro, Monsanto's herbicides containing glyphosate, Dewayne Johnson, have terminal cancer , would have "never" used, he said in a US court on Monday.
Called to testify for several hours in this lawsuit he brings to the agrochemical giant, the 46-year-old American explained in front of a San Francisco court how he sprayed for two years the RoundUp but especially the RangerPro, its professional version, more powerful and diluted in water before spreading.
Voice strong and voluntary, even allowing a few strokes to escape humor, this father of two spoke at length about his cancer, an incurable non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosed in 2014 that he attributes to glyphosate, a very controversial chemical substance being studied. contradictory on its dangerousness – in particular its possibly carcinogenic character
"I would never have sprayed RangerPro anywhere"
For Monsanto, there is no danger and therefore no reason to warn any risk. According to the defense of Dewayne Johnson, on the contrary, the firm knowingly hid the possible risks badociated with its products and prevented any reliable scientific study. "If you had read a warning (on the label) about cancer risks, would you have used the RangerPro?" Asked one of his lawyers, David Dickens, RangerPro canister in his hand. [19659003"IwouldneverhavesprayedRangerProinschoolsoranywhere"saidtheformerheadofthefightagainst"pests"(animalsorplants)ofschoolsinthecityofBenicia
Dewayne Johnson was responsible for diluting RangerPro in water and then spraying the solution (sometimes more than 500 liters per day) to kill weeds using an electric vaporizer, even after being diagnosed, he said:
No one at Monsanto ever called him back
On two occasions, Dewayne Johnson was heavily sprayed with RangerPro and his clothes soaked with this product, due to malfunctioning vaporizers, he continued, indicated He did research on the internet and then decided to call the Monsanto "hotline" twice after the diagnosis, frightened by "the uncontrollable situation on (his) skin" where very painful lesions multiplied.
"I had was exposed to the RangerPro and I thought that could be the cause, "said Dewayne Johnson, saying that despite two calls and promises, no one at Monsanto has ever recalled. Even if Monsanto had only mentioned possible cancer risks, he would have stopped using it, he said.
Asked by his lawyer about the physical and moral suffering of his cancer, Dewayne Johnson claimed that the trial had taken him out of a form of denial. "I know I'm not going to get any better," he said, promising nonetheless to "fight until his last breath."
"No scientific evidence about what causes" this type of cancer
Cautious about this poignant testimony, Monsanto's defense conducted a very short cross-examination, essentially focusing on its usual line of defense. What did the doctors say to Dewayne Johnson? "Asked Sandra Edwards, one of the firm's advisers. "They all said the same thing: there was no scientific proof of what causes" this type of cancer, replied the complainant, adding that he had "perfect skin" before being exposed to glyphosate
The defense of Dewayne Johnson hopes to obtain from this civil procedure millions of dollars in damages from Monsanto, which is the subject of thousands of lawsuits in the United States.
Unlike the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), California, where San Francisco is located, has put glyphosate on the list of carcinogens. Glyphosate is also listed as a "probable carcinogen" since 2015 by the World Health Organization (WHO), but not by European agencies, EFSA (food safety) and Echa (chemicals).
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