Suspected cancer: Bayer reports almost 9000 glyphosate lawsuits

Glyphosate is suspected of causing cancer. Because of the weed killer, Bayer is now confronted with around 8,700 complaints in the US. Further complaints are to be expected, writes the pharmaceutical and agribusiness group in its new quarterly report. Most recently, around 8,000 complaints were known; in mid-July, there were as many as 400 complaints.

According to the Leverkusen-based company, most of them have filed their claims with national courts in the US states of Missouri, Delaware and California, the rest in various federal courts. The plaintiffs accuse the new Bayer subsidiary Monsanto, the contact with glyphosathaltigen products of the enterprise with them to health damages, among other things to cancer, led. They therefore demand damages.

A California jury sentenced Monsanto to a $ 289 million compensation payment to a man with cancer in mid-August. Glyphosate was developed by Monsanto but is also manufactured by other companies since the patent expired years ago. Bayer wants to have the verdict reviewed by the jury judge and appeal if necessary.

In addition to glyphosate, Bayer threatened further lawsuits

The Group did not disclose any provisions. He merely pointed out that Monsanto was insured to the usual extent against statutory product liability claims and had made reasonable provision for expected defense costs.

Bayer also faces further legal risks in connection with its products. In the US, there are now complaints from about 24,300 users of the anticoagulant Xarelto, which make the drug responsible for bleeding up to deaths. Xarelto is the Group's strongest selling drug. At the end of January, the number of complaints was still around 22,000.

The number of complaints due to the sterilization spiral Essure rose to about 17,000 by mid-August from about 16,100 at the end of January. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received thousands of complaints about Essure, including pain, menstrual disorders, unwanted pregnancies and deaths associated with the product. Bayer also expects Xarelto and Essure with further lawsuits.