Many studies show that Roundup contains glyphosate, which is a probable carcinogen, or cancer-causing agent. This has led researchers and international health organizations to believe that spraying Roundup can make you sick with several serious medical conditions, including certain types of cancer.
Roundup and the Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Connection
Nearly twenty years ago, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention published research showing a connection between glyphosate (the main chemical in Roundup) and the increased risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Two years later, in 2003, farmers and agricultural workers received testing and it was determined that spraying Roundup can make you sick through consistent exposure to glyphosate, as evidenced in the published study in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Additional research published in 2008 in the International Journal of Cancer clearly connected agricultural workers who had consistent exposure to Roundup with the development of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma within 10 years.
Roundup and Other Serious Medical Conditions
While the agricultural community and farmers have consistently used Roundup to eradicate weeds for decades, research continues to point to the fact that Roundup may cause an increased risk of developing cancers and other types of life-threatening medical conditions. The extensive use of Roundup appears to also cause serious medical conditions like the following:
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Research from the Archives of Toxicology indicates that glyphosate can cause the development, or the risk of development, of certain neurodegenerative diseases with its DNA-damaging properties. Neurodegenerative diseases include Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and others.
Reproductive Medical Conditions
A report from the Permaculture Research Institute shows that glyphosate directly affects the reproductive system in a negative way and may even cause birth defects.
Fatty Liver Disease
According to peer-reviewed research published in Scientific Reports, there exists a link between Roundup and fatty liver disease.
Autism
Some research indicates that a mother’s exposure to glyphosate during pregnancy can actually cause a child to develop autism. Published research in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) indicate that there appears to exist a direct correlation between exposure to glyphosate and autism in children.
Kidney and Liver Damage
Research published in Environmental Health indicates the connection between an increased risk of both kidney and liver damage and the consistent exposure to Roundup and glyphosate.
Endocrine Disrupter
Other research shows a clear link between Roundup’s main ingredient glyphosate and a disruption of a human being’s endocrine system, according to research published in the article Assessment of Glyphosate Induced Epigenetic Transgenerational Inheritance of Pathologies and Sperm Epimutations: Generational Toxicology in Scientific Reports. Disruption of the endocrine system can lead to serious medical conditions.
The Scientific Debate Continues
With all of the information pointing to the fact that glyphosate can create serious medical problems and spraying Roundup can make you sick, the question becomes: why is this product still legal in the United States? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to conclude that glyphosate and Roundup are still safe when used even in large quantities. This directly conflicts with the scientific determinations made by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)—a part of the World Health Organization (WHO)—which concludes that glyphosate is a carcinogen and can lead to several medical conditions that can cause death.
To shed light on this debate in the scientific community, it is important to note that a study from the journal Environmental Sciences Europe examined why the WHO and EPA disagree on their scientific conclusions regarding the dangers of glyphosate. Interestingly, the EPA—which concludes that glyphosate is safe for human use and consumption—is largely funded by Monsanto, which is the company that develops and sells Roundup. Additionally, the EPA studies were not peer-reviewed, but rather their conclusions came from “unpublished regulatory studies,” which were in most part industry-funded and therefore not completely neutral. In direct contrast to this, the WHO conclusion regarding glyphosate relied on “mostly peer-reviewed studies” that were completely neutral in nature and not funded by any company within the glyphosate industry.
Consider a Roundup and Glyphosate Lawyer
While some in the scientific community continue to debate whether or not spraying Roundup can make you sick, many prominent studies and research over the last few decades seem to point to the fact that Roundup can directly increase the risk of developing certain types of cancers and other serious medical conditions. If you developed either cancer or any other serious medical condition that you believe was a direct result of your exposure to Roundup or any other chemical that contained glyphosate, consider speaking to a member of our team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. Call (800) 794-0444, so we can help you understand how a Roundup or glyphosate lawyer can help you determine your next steps.