USA: Monsanto on the dock in a roundup trial



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Monsanto found himself on the dock in San Francisco on Monday to determine whether Roundup is a carcinogen and whether the US group has deliberately concealed the dangerousness of the glyphosate product.

Monsanto, which has just been bought out by the German company Bayer and is soon to disappear, is the subject of a complaint by an individual suffering from terminal cancer after spraying Roundup for several years

"Monsanto has known for 40 years that the basic components of Roundup can cause tumors in laboratory animals," lawyer Brent Wisner said on the first day of the trial hearings. San Francisco (West)

This one is to look into the complaint of Dewayne Johnson, a 46-year-old American who sprayed Round Up for over two years.

This is the first trial against this product that is the subject of hundreds or even thousands of procedures in the United States. Officially opened in mid-June with jury appointment procedures, it got off to a good start on Monday and is expected to last at least three weeks.

"Monsanto has used every means at its disposal to scare scientists away to oppose the researchers, "accused Wisner, saying that Monsanto had done everything to hide the link between his product and the risk of cancer.

– Glyphosate-

Sold for over 40 years, the Roundup, the one of the most widely used herbicides in the world, contains glyphosate, a very controversial substance that is the subject of conflicting scientific studies as to its carcinogenic nature.

Monsanto, who faces millions of dollars in damages alone, has always firmly denied any connection between cancer and glyphosate.

Dewayne Johnson was diagnosed two years ago with non-cancerous lymphoma. Hodgkin, incurable, explains one of his lawyers David Dickens, from the firm Miller, specializing in the defense of individuals claiming to be victims of defective products.

"It's not the fault of no luck", this is not due to a "genetic" problem, "it's because of his continued exposure to Round Up and Ranger Pro" (similar product of Monsanto), that he sprayed between 2012 and 2014 on school grounds of the city of Benicia, California (West), badures Me Dickens.

Me Wisner, said Monday that Mr. Johnson had heard about Roundup "that he could drink it, that it was absolutely not toxic "but he had nevertheless put on a suit and wore glbades your protective or sun when using it.

The prosecution's job is to convince jurors of the link between Roundup and Dewayne Johnson's cancer while it has not been scientifically proven despite long years of debate.

Monsanto was to present his arguments later in the day on Monday. The chemical group claims that more than 800 studies support its denials about the dangerousness of the product.

"We express sympathy for anyone with cancer but the scientific evidence clearly shows that glyphosate is not the cause We are preparing to present this evidence in court, "Monsanto said in a recent statement.

Robert Kennedy Junior, son of Bob Kennedy himself brother of former US President John Kennedy murdered in 1963, sat in the front row of the audience Monday as a member of the law team gathered around the plaintiff.

– "As much as possible" –

"I do not think we could be surprised at the fact that Monsanto tried to prevent the public from knowing (the dangerousness of the product) and manipulate the authorization process, "he told the press out of court. He said his own firm had 700 "in the pipeline" complaints about Roundup and cancer cases.

Asked how much compensation Johnson could get, Kennedy said, "We hope that Mr. Johnson will be able to get as much as possible. "

Unlike the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), California, where San Francisco is located, has put glyphosate on the list of carcinogens. And in that State, every manufacturer who is aware of the carcinogenicity of a certain or suspected product must obligatorily include it on the packaging.

Glyphosate has also been clbadified as a "probable carcinogen" since 2015 by the International Center for Research on Cancer. cancer, a body of the WHO, unlike 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, the French government pledged to stop using this substance for the main uses within three years

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