Monsanto was ordered to pay $78 million to a groundskeeper who blamed his terminal cancer on frequent exposure to Roundup while on the job. Lawyers for the plaintiff accused Monsanto of downplaying the health risks of using Roundup and failing to warn their customers about a link to cancer.
Farmers, groundskeepers and other people who use Roundup® regularly may be at risk for developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma or other blood cancers that start in the lymphatic system. If you or a loved one were exposed to Roundup® and have been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, you may be entitled to compensation.
Roundup® is a weed killer (herbicide) created in the 1970s by Monsanto. Since its introduction, in 1974, it has become increasingly popular in the agriculture industry for its ability to fight weeds and other invasive plants Subsequently, Roundup® has become the most used weed killer Worldwide since 2001. Despite being banned in Germany, France and five other European countries. California added glyphosate to the list of chemicals that are known to cause cancer on July 7, 2017. Since glyphosate was listed as a known carcinogen under California’s Proposition 65 this would require companies that sell glyphosate in California to add new warning labels to their packaging. As more foreign countries and individual states take action against Monsanto, lawsuits are now being filed in the United States.
The World Health Organization’s Cancer arm, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Declared the primary ingredient Glyphosate as probably carcinogenic to humans. In conjunction with the so called “inactive” ingredients, also known to be carcinogenic, Roundup® has been found by a jury to be highly likely to cause forms of cancer. It is the world’s most popular herbicide.
The World Health Organization (“WHO”) labeled Roundup a “probable carcinogen”
While Monsanto continues to claim that Roundup® (glyphosate) is safe, the research proves otherwise. In 2015, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer announced findings that Roundup is probably carcinogenic. Other leading experts opine that dermal and inhalation exposure to Roundup at levels experienced in the farming community can and do cause Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and other serious injuries. It is suspected that Monsanto has known of these risks associated with Roundup exposure for at least 35 years.
After the WHO’s recent report, the EPA released their own statement that Roundup® is indeed safe to use. However, documents have come to light that show corruption and inappropriate dealings with the regulators at the EPA in charge of reviewing this product.
Free Case EvaluationAnyone who has been exposed to Roundup® may be at risk for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The IARC reported that glyphosate (the main ingredient in Roundup®) is “probably carcinogenic to humans.” In spite of this new information, Monsanto’s Roundup® herbicide is still being used by thousands of farmers, crop dusters and other professionals in the agriculture and landscaping business.
Recent medical literature identifies a link between dermal (skin) and inhalation (breathing) exposure to Roundup® with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and other serious injuries. At this time Balaban Law is accepting injuries related to direct exposure to Roundup® and the development of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. With subtypes including, but not limited to, Large Diffuse B-cell, Follicular Lymphoma, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Mantle Cell Lymphoma and Cutaneous T-cell.
Given the nature of their job, farm workers and landscaping professionals are at the highest risk of injury caused by dermal or inhalation exposure to Roundup®. Also, residential home use, such as gardening, driveways/walkways, construction, and yard maintenance, can be a significant contributing factor to the development of injury.
If you feel that you or your loved one may have a claim, please contact our office using the form here or via phone at 303-377-3474.
Free Case EvaluationPeople taking Gilead’s HIV drug tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) may have been diagnosed by a physician or other healthcare provider with kidney disease and/or bone density loss. Our attorneys are investigating allegations that Gilead knew its TDF medication could potentially harm users, but withheld a less toxic version of the medication from the market to maximize their profits.
If you took one or more of Gilead’s TDF drugs- Viread, Truvada, Atripla, Complera, and Stribild- and you were diagnosed by a physician or other healthcare provider with kidney issues and/or bone density loss, you may be eligible for compensation through a lawsuit against Gilead. Previously, our Mass Tort attorneys have helped victims of other corporate misdeeds- such as Roundup – recover compensation, and they may also be able to help you.
Free Case EvaluationGilead’s TDF medications belong to a class of antiretroviral drugs known as nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors that are prescribed to treat HIV. These medications inhibit the activity of reverse-transcriptase, an enzyme that is crucial in the replication and progression of HIV.
In combination with other drugs, TDF medications can slow the progression of HIV and keep HIV-positive people healthy for many years, according to the Center for Disease Control. Not taking antiretroviral drugs isn’t an option for HIV-positive individuals, even if they come with serious side effects.
At this time, there are five Gilead TDF medications available to people infected with HIV:
Since 2009, there have been nearly 6,000 reports of bone breaks allegedly connected to TDF usage.
Shortly after Gilead released Viread- its first TDF medication to reach the market- studies began correlating its use to bone density loss. One 2010 study found that a “strong correlation between loss of bone density in HIV- infected individuals, particular in conjunction with the antiretroviral drug tenofovir.”
A more recent study, published in 2016, announced similar findings, stating “Several studies have demonstrated an approximately 1-3 percent greater bone mineral density loss with TDF compared with other agents.”
Bone tissue never stops growing because new tissue is necessary to replace older tissue. When old tissue deteriorates faster than new tissue can grow, or new tissue stops growing altogether, people can develop osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones are so weak that minor falls or stresses can cause them to fracture.
TDF users have alleged they developed osteopenia after taking the HIV drug, a precursor condition to osteoporosis in which bone density levels fall below their peak levels.
Common symptoms for osteoporosis and osteopenia include:
Since Gilead’s first TDF medication came to market nearly 20,000 people taking one or more of the drug manufacturer’s TDF medications have allegedly been diagnosed with kidney disease by a physician or other healthcare provider. Kidney damage is a particularly dangerous side effect because the kidneys are resilient and adapt so easily when damaged that symptoms only begin appearing once irreversible damage has already occurred.
Kidneys are one of the body’s most important organs because they filter electrolytes, fluids, and waste from the bloodstream into urine, and out of the body. Chronic kidney disease prevents the kidneys from effectively filtering the bloodstream, and waste can build up to dangerously high levels if left unaddressed. In the most severe cases of chronic kidney diseases, people will need to undergo dialysis or have a kidney transplant.
Common symptoms of kidney failure include:
Aside from chronic kidney disease, individuals taking Gilead’s TDF medications are at risk of developing several other kidney-related conditions including:
In 2001, Gilead’s first TDF medication came to market. That same year, Gilead began development of less toxic alternative to TDF known as tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF). In 2003, Gilead placed a label on its TDF mediations warning of the possible side effects, and a year later the drug manufacturer stopped development of the less toxic TAF.
In 2010, Gilead resumed its development of TAF, and by 2015 the first TAF drug-Genvoya- was released to the public. The paten on Gilead’s TDF drugs expired in 2018, but the company will still be able to profit until at least 2031, when Gilead’s TAF patent expires.
We allege that people who took one or more of Gilead’s TDF medications endured up to 10 years of additional toxicity even though Gilead had already developed a safer alternative. As a result, those who took one or more of Gilead’s TDF medications may be eligible for compensation via a lawsuit against Gilead.
Balaban Law Wants to Help You Recover Compensation
There is no question that Gilead’s TDF drugs- Viread, Truvada, Atripla, Complera, or Stribild- have improved the lives of people living with HIV. However, the allegations that Gilead knew about potential side effects of these drugs and developed a safer alternative but then withheld it to maximize their profits on the more toxic version are deeply troubling. If the allegations are true, Gilead must be held responsible.
If you were diagnosed by a physician or other healthcare provide with kidney issues or experienced bone density loss after starting a TDF Drug(Viread, Truvada, Atripla, Complera, or Stribild) or have been exacerbated after starting a TDF medication, you may be eligible for compensation. Contact us today to learn how we may be able to help you file a lawsuit and recover compensation.
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