Paris | Reuters — A French court ruled on Thursday that a complaint brought by a family against Bayer claiming their son’s disabilities were the result of his mother’s exposure to glyphosate when pregnant was inadmissible, local media reported.
Bayer, which produces the herbicide, said it acknowledged the court’s decision, “which did not find the company liable”.
Why it matters: Bayer has said it could pull glyphosate herbicide Roundup from the U.S. market if authorities strengthen product liability protections. The company has paid some US$10 billion in lawsuit settlements.
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Lawyers for the Grataloup family said: “It is clearly a big disappointment for the Grataloup family and for us … The case deserves to be submitted to the appeals court.”
The lawsuit was one of the first high-profile cases centring specifically on prenatal exposure to glyphosate and congenital malformations in a child.
Research has suggested prenatal exposure to glyphosate may affect babies’ health at birth, but successful lawsuits have been rare. Bayer has said the product is safe for human use.
The German pharmaceutical and biotechnology group has paid around $10 billion to settle disputed claims in the United States that its weedkiller Roundup, based on glyphosate, causes cancer.
The European Union last renewed the approval of the use of glyphosate in 2023, through December 2033. The U.S. and Canada have both approved glyphosate for safe use.
— Reporting by Makini Brice
