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German chemical conglomerate Bayer has submitted a fresh appeal to the United States Supreme Court in its ongoing battle over claims that its weedkiller Roundup causes cancer.
The move marks the third time Bayer has turned to the country’s highest court in a bid to resolve years of mounting litigation and the first attempt under its new chief executive, Bill Anderson, who took the helm in 2023.
The legal saga has plagued Bayer since it purchased the American agrochemical firm Monsanto, the original manufacturer of Roundup, in 2018.
Claimants have repeatedly alleged that the herbicide, which contains glyphosate, is linked to blood cancers, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Bayer, however, maintains that both scientific studies and regulatory reviews consistently confirm the product is safe.
Two earlier efforts to bring the issue before the US Supreme Court in 2022 were unsuccessful, with the court declining to hear the appeals. This latest application follows the Missouri Supreme Court’s recent refusal to reconsider a ruling against Bayer, thereby allowing the company to pursue an appeal at the federal level.
In the newly filed petition, Monsanto is asking the US Supreme Court to decide whether Roundup labels must carry cancer warnings—a stipulation currently required in certain US states.
The company contends that federal law, specifically the legislation governing pesticide regulation, should override any conflicting state-level requirements.
According to Bayer, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that glyphosate is not carcinogenic, making additional warnings unnecessary and potentially misleading.
Bayer revealed that tens of thousands of lawsuits remain pending in the United States and argued that a favourable Supreme Court decision could significantly stem the tide of litigation.
So far, the firm has paid out more than $10 billion (equivalent to around €9.2 billion) to settle claims that it failed to adequately warn consumers of potential health risks associated with Roundup.
Anderson has previously stated his aim to bring the long-running legal saga to a close by 2026. However, the crisis continues to impact Bayer’s financial stability.
In March, the company’s share price dropped by over 10 per cent after it announced it may need to raise billions of euros to cover its legal liabilities.
