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Dewayne Johnson, suffering from terminal cancer, is scheduled to testify in San Francisco court on Monday in a lawsuit against agrochemical giant Monsanto, accused of concealing the carcinogenic nature of his drug. featured herbicide, Roundup. This testimony, expected to last all day, is highly anticipated in this trial, the first of its kind concerning the potentially carcinogenic effects of this widely used chemical in the world, and has been for decades.
Dewayne Johnson, father of two children, was diagnosed two years ago with an incurable non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which caused him numerous injuries on the body.
Between 2012 and 2014, he sprayed on school grounds with small town of California, in the western United States, Roundup whose active ingredient is glyphosate, an effective as well as controversial weed killer. According to the 46-year-old American, it is this product that caused his illness, and Monsanto, which has just been bought by the German Bayer, knowingly concealed its dangerousness when it should have included a warning on the Packaging
Tumors in animals
"Monsanto has known for 40 years that the basic components of Roundup can cause tumors in laboratory animals" said one of the complainant's lawyers, Brent Wisner, on the first day of the trial, July 9. "Monsanto used every means at its disposal to frighten scientists and oppose researchers" he had attacked.
The task of the prosecution is arduous because it is a question of convincing jurors of the link between Roundup and Dewayne Johnson's cancer while it has not been scientifically proven despite long years of debate. For its part, Monsanto has been committed since the beginning of the trial to refute any link between glyphosate and cancer, scientific studies in support, which are challenged by anti-glyphosates.
Monday's hearing will be a delicate pbadage for Monsanto, as the testimony of Dewayne Johnson is poignant. "The cancer of Mr. Johnson is a terrible disease and we must all have the greatest empathy for the ordeal it goes through" had also taken care to highlight one of the group's lawyers Monsanto at the commencement of the trial, George Lombardi
"Scientific Evidence Shows Glyphosate Products Do not Cause Cancer and Do not Cause Mr. Johnson's Cancer" he had argued, however. The defense of Mr. Johnson said he hoped "as much as possible" in damages from Monsanto, which is the subject of thousands of lawsuits in the United States, to varying degrees.
Glyphosate controversy
Marketed since 1974, Roundup, one of the most widely used herbicides in the world, contains glyphosate, which is the subject of conflicting studies and advice. Contrary to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), California, where San Francisco is located, has placed glyphosate on the list of carcinogens.
Glyphosate is also clbadified as "carcinogenic likely " since 2015 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, an organ of the World Health Organization (WHO), but not by European agencies, Efsa (food safety) and Echa (chemicals)
Glyphosate is particularly controversial in Europe. Following the decision of the European Union in November to renew the license for the herbicide for five years, a few days after its expiry, the French government undertook to stop using this substance for the main uses of the herbicide. Three years ago
However, glyphosate is widely acclaimed by growers for its efficiency and low cost. Critics criticize the European Union's scientific agencies for relying too heavily on data provided by the industry for lack of resources and personnel, casting doubt on published studies. The Mansanto trial is expected to last at least until August.
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