The US Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that Bayer AG cannot be held liable under state laws for failing to warn consumers about alleged cancer risks on the labels of its Roundup weedkiller. The decision shields the company from tens of thousands of claims, potentially ending a decade-long flood of litigation that has already cost the company more than $10 billion.
The case was filed by John Durnell, a Missouri resident who developed cancer after spending 20 years as a neighborhood spray guy. While Durnell had previously won $1.25 million, the court's decision now closes the door on such claims. The central legal issue was whether federal law overrides state claims regarding who decides what information must appear on pesticide or insecticide labels.
Roundup contains glyphosate, the most commonly used weedkiller in agriculture, which has long been linked to cancer claims. More than 100,000 plaintiffs have filed cases in US state and federal courts alleging a link between the weedkiller and cancer. This high-court victory provides the German company, which acquired Roundup in 2018, with more leverage to settle outstanding cases.
The ruling is seen as a victory for the Trump administration, though it drew backlash from Republicans, Democrats, and allies in the Make America Healthy Again movement. While Bayer stated the decision is good for science and farmers, the ruling could complicate relations with allies who want to limit pesticide use.