"Bayer welcomes the ruling of the Australian Federal Court in favor of Monsanto. The case has now been dismissed". This is the beginning of the statement with which the multinational Bayer Australia comments on the victory in court regarding the class action about the effects of the herbicide Bayer Roundup (active ingredient: glyphosate) brought by the Australian law firm Maurice Blackburn Lawyers and a thousand other people against the Australian branches of the colossus.

The lawsuit was filed on the grounds that the active ingredient Roundup, glyphosate in a nutshell, caused Hodgkins lymphoma. Well, the court in Canberra has dismissed the legal action: the judge Michael Lee of the federal court of Australia has in fact ruled that he had examined three types of scientific studies: The European Commission has published a report on the European Community’s research programme in the field of animal and mechanical studies on the links between glyphosate and Hodgkins lymphoma. The judge claims, after having justified these investigations, that he "is not convinced" that there is sufficient evidence that the chemical has caused cancer in humans. 

"The Court’s decision -stresses the note from Bayer Australia and New Zealand- is consistent with worldwide scientific and regulatory assessments, including those of the Australian Veterinary Pesticides and Medicines Authority, which claim that glyphosate (Roundup) is safe and non-carcinogenic".

"Last year (2023) -specifies the multinational’s communiqué- the European Commission re-approved glyphosate for 10 years, following favourable scientific assessments by its health and safety agencies, that 'did not identify critical areas of concern' with an impact on public health or the environment in their glyphosate review in July 2023. Bayer, the report concludes, remains committed to supporting Australian farmers by ensuring the availability of safe and effective products such as Roundup".

The case in Australia was only one of those that have concerned the multinational, cited especially in the Usa since, in 2018, it acquired Monsanto, owner of the product: In the Usa, there are still more than 50,000 open claims. In the last 20 cases, Bayer has won 14 trials.