Tag: glyphosate

Journal Retracts ‘Ghost Written’ Monsanto Study Claiming Glyphosate Is Safe

Over the past year massive scandals involving academic research have come under the microscope, after dedicated researchers uncovered rigged studies that made it through peer-review with flying colors, and are now being retracted. 

On Friday, the Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology journal announced that it has retracted a review, safety evaluation, and risk assessment of the herbicide Roundup and its active ingredient, glyphosate, after it emerged that Monsanto was heavily involved in its production. 

“This decision has been made after careful consideration of the COPE guidelines and thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the authorship and content of this article and in light of no response having been provided to address the findings,” the journal said in a statement. 

“Litigation in the United States revealed correspondence from Monsanto suggesting that the authors of the article were not solely responsible for writing its content,” and contributions by Monsanto employees were not disclosed, including in the acknowledgements section of the review. 

The journal also said that the authors may have been paid by Monsanto – which was also not disclosed. 

The Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology had been frequently cited in defending glyphosate, an ingredient in Roundup, including citations on Wikipedia, researchers said in a paper published in September. Since 2017, multiple juries have concluded that Roundup exposure has resulted in non-Hodgkin lymphoma in people. Bayer took over legal cases involving the matter after it purchased Monsanto in 2018, including a case that may be adjudicated by the Supreme Court. -Epoch Times

Meanwhile the study’s lead author, Gary Williams – a former pathologist at New York Medical College, is MIA, according to an Epoch Times inquiry. 

An internal email from February 2015 presented as evidence in a 2017 court case revealed that Monsanto employees worked with the authors of the review, with one employee writing that it would be expensive to involve experts from all major areas in a review – and would be cheaper to simply involve certain experts and “we ghost-write” other sections. 

“We would be keeping the cost down by us doing the writing and they would just edit & sign their names so to speak. Recall that is how we handled Williams Kroes & Munro, 2000,” the employee wrote. 

So of course, the journal retracts the dodgy study almost 10 years later – even as other journals – including Critical Reviews in Toxicology, attached expressions of concern co-authored by Williams because they said they authors didn’t disclose the involvement of Monsanto employees and contractors in authoring their research.

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Georgia Governor Signs Bill Granting Immunity for Harms Caused by Pesticides and Fertilizers

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed SB144 into law, which has also been referred to as an immunity bill for agrochemical businesses that sell pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. The bill states, “a manufacturer cannot be held liable for failing to warn consumers of health risks above those required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.” The Georgia legislature passed the bill and was awaiting Kemp’s signature, which he finalized on Monday.

Georgia became the second state in the nation to provide manufacturer immunity for harm caused by pesticides after North Dakota signed a similar bill into law last month. Bayer has been handling tens of thousands of lawsuits related to cancer allegedly caused by Roundup, a product that Bayer owns after the agrochemical corporation purchased Monsanto in 2018. In April, The HighWire reported about Bayer’s recent court loss in which the company is required to pay over $2 billion for causing a man’s non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but the high payout amount is expected to be appealed. This case was conducted in a Georgia courtroom.

The EPA is still awaiting a court decision regarding its most recent evaluation of glyphosate’s effect on human health. The EPA currently states, “No risks of concern to human health from current uses of glyphosate.” The EPA website also states, “No evidence that glyphosate causes cancer in humans.”

Meanwhile, the passage of SB144 in Georgia means a farmer cannot sue Bayer for harms allegedly caused by Roundup because the product contains the label required by the EPA. The label states, “Keep Out of Reach of Children CAUTION See [back/ side] [panel/ booklet/ label] for [additional] first aid and precautionary statements. Alternative Text: [See container label for [complete] use directions, first aid and precautionary statements.]”

Bayer issued a statement applauding the Governor for signing the legislation. The statement said, “The signing of SB 144 by Governor Kemp demonstrates that Georgia stands with its farmers, who work tirelessly to produce safe and affordable food for communities throughout the state. We thank Governor Kemp and the legislators, farmers and ag groups that supported this important piece of legislation.”

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Women Exposed to Glyphosate at Higher Risk of Infertility

Glyphosate, the world’s most widely used herbicide, disrupts female hormones and damages the ovaries and uterus in ways that can make it more difficult for women to get pregnant, according to a new review of human and animal research.

The study, published in Reproductive Sciences on March 21, also found that glyphosate may be tied to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis, due to its endocrine-disrupting capabilities and reproductive toxicity.

PCOS is a hormonal disorder that affects the ovaries, fertility and periods, among other symptoms. Endometriosis is an often painful condition when tissue similar to the uterine lining (endometrial tissue) grows outside the uterus. Both conditions are among the leading causes of infertility.

“Collectively, these findings raise concerns about potential associations between [glyphosate-based herbicide] exposure and female reproductive system diseases, including PCOS, endometriosis, and subfertility/infertility,” the researchers say.

The study highlights growing concerns about the long-term health effects of glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH), such as Roundup. Glyphosate use rose sharply in recent decades, with around 240 million pounds sprayed annually on U.S. farms.

People are exposed to glyphosate through skin contact, ingestion in food or water and inhalation of airborne particles. Studies have detected glyphosate and its breakdown product (aminomethylphosphonic acid, or AMPA) in blood, breast milk and urine.

A 2022 survey found glyphosate in more than 80% of urine samples from U.S. adults and children.

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Study Finds That Girl Scout Cookies Are Toxic

Girl Scout Cookies, a financing tool of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA) since 1917, were initially home baked by Girl Scouts and their moms to finance troop activities. Today, two commercial bakers are licensed to produce Girl Scout Cookies. And, despite claiming they are full of “top-quality ingredients,” the cookies contain suspicious elements like natural and artificial flavors. But it gets even worse. Raking in $800 million a year, Girl Scout Cookies are intentionally formulated with genetically modified ingredients (GMOs), and 100 percent of the thirteen types of twenty-five cookies test positive for both cancer-causing glyphosate and toxic metals.

A recent article published by Moms Across America, written by health warriors Michelle Perro, MD, Stephanie Seneff, PhD, and Zen Honeycutt, BFA, reveals that 100 percent of the cookies tested contained at least 4 out of 5 heavy metals: aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. Peanut Butter Patties® were the most contaminated, with mercury levels at 0.07 ppb, lead at 42.5 ppb, and aluminum at 27,500 ppb. The source of aluminum is vague, but non-organic peanut crops are heavily sprayed with toxic chemicals. Of the 25 samples tested, 88 percent (22 cookies) contained all five toxic metals. Additionally, 76 percent of the cookies had cadmium levels exceeding EPA limits for water, and 96 percent contained lead, which has no safe exposure level. Both cadmium and lead are linked to cancer and brain disorders.

Thin Mints had the highest levels of the poison glyphosate. As is now well-documented, glyphosate is regularly used as a drying agent (aka desiccant) before harvesting on many crops, including oats, wheat, barley, legumes, sugar cane, and other crops. It is also used as a weed killer on GMO crops that are standard ingredients in Girl Scout Cookies, including beet sugar, corn, soy, and canola. The article highlights the shocking amount of glyphosate in the popular cookies, informing:

“From 13.57 ppb in Peanut Butter Patties® to 111.07 in Thin Mints®, the average amount is 33.43, 334 times higher than what Dr. Don Huber, Professor Emeritus of Perdue, states is harmful and must be avoided.”

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Herbicide threatens manatee immune systems, UF study finds

A new University of Florida study focusing on manatees’ immune systems reveals how glyphosate, the world’s most commonly used herbicide, may threaten manatee health in an environment increasingly impacted by human activities.

“Our research raises important questions about how chemical exposure might influence immune function,” said lead author Maite De Maria, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher who supports the U.S. Geological Survey in collaboration with the Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine.

The researchers collected blood samples from manatees in the wild. They then tested the animals’ blood cells in the lab to determine how the herbicide might influence their immune system responses. The study, published in Environment International, examined lymphocyte, or white blood cell, responses to glyphosate at a range of concentrations found in aquatic environments.

White blood cells act protectively within the body, patrolling the bloodstream for harmful invaders such as bacteria, viruses, or other pathogens, and acting defensively to fight infection.

The researchers found that glyphosate can reduce immune cell activity by more than 27.3%, potentially compromising the threatened species’ ability to fend off disease.

After being listed as an endangered species since 1973, the West Indian manatee, of which the Florida manatee is a subspecies, was reclassified from endangered to threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2017. The Marine Mammal Commission lists the current population estimate at 9,790 manatees. However, over 2,000 manatees died in 2021 and 2022 alone, according to the Save the Manatee organization. While some of those deaths were attributed to traditional causes, such as cold stress and vessel collisions, most were attributed to starvation due to the loss of seagrass, a primary food source of manatees, in Indian River Lagoon and other warm-water estuaries. Poor water quality is believed to be a leading factor in the drastic reduction of seagrass beds.

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Widely used herbicide linked to persistent damaging effects on brain

A peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Neuroinflammation found that glyphosate, the world’s most widely used herbicide, may have persistent, damaging effects on brain health. Laboratory mice exposed to glyphosate exhibited significant brain inflammation, a condition tied to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. The symptoms persisted even months after the exposure ended.

The research team at Arizona State University (ASU) noted the study’s particular relevance to rural communities, where glyphosate is heavily used in farming. Lead researcher Ramon Velazquez, Ph.D., emphasized the importance of examining the effects of such a widely used chemical on brain health.

“This work is yet another step forward in understanding the impact of this widely used herbicide on the brain. But more research is needed to determine the impact that glyphosate has on the brain since most Americans are exposed to this herbicide on a daily basis.”
Ramon Velazquez, Ph.D., Arizona State University

The study revealed that even low doses—near the levels considered acceptable for human exposure—caused significant harm in the mice. Researchers observed premature death, neuroinflammation, and Alzheimer’s-like pathology in genetically predisposed mice. They also detected the accumulation of aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), a byproduct of glyphosate, in brain tissue, raising serious safety concerns about the chemical’s long-term effects on humans.

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GMO Corn, Glyphosate Pose Unacceptable Health Risks, New Scientific Analysis Shows

A new scientific analysis prepared by CONAHCYT, Mexico’s National Council for Humanities, Science and Technology, argues there are unacceptable health risks for Mexican people who consume genetically modified (GM) corn and glyphosate, the world’s most widely used herbicide.

The 200-page document with 1,200 references — posted here for the first time in English — underpins Mexico’s 2023 decree to restrict the use of GM corn in tortillas and other minimally processed corn products, and to phase out the use of glyphosate.

The U.S. challenged those policies as unfair trade practices under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). A decision in that case is expected imminently.

Whatever the ruling, Mexico’s new President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has said her government will not allow the cultivation of GM corn.

Sheinbaum Pardo also recently announced plans to try to place GM corn restrictions in Mexico’s Constitution; “This is the best defense we have for biodiversity as well as for our health,” she said.

Mexico’s stand for food sovereignty and the scientific evidence they gathered to support their case have worldwide relevance, as nations across the Global South grapple with seed laws that would open the doors to GM foods.

It also comes at a time when U.S. consumers are losing faith in the safety of our food supply, according to a recent Gallup poll.

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Vaccines Contain Glyphosate, One of the Most Toxic Chemicals on the Planet

Childhood vaccines were originally developed to protect young children from virulent, sometimes lethal, diseases.

According to mainstream medicine, “Vaccines have played a crucial role in reducing the burden of infectious diseases.”

“A May study in the Lancet estimated that vaccines against 14 common pathogens have saved 154 million lives over the past five decades—at a rate of six lives every minute,” asserts Tara Haelle in a Scientific American article published this week called “The Staggering Success of Vaccines.”

At the same time, even the most diehard vaccine supporters found themselves ill at ease during COVID when they learned that unvaccinated children were being barred from public life and vaccine-hesitant people had to be bribed to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

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High Levels of Glyphosate Linked to Cluster of Young People With Brain Disease, Dementia

A piercing investigative article on Aug. 14 in The New York Times by journalist Greg Donahue reveals the abandonment of a group of brain disease patients in an area of Canada with forestry management for paper products, agriculture and large amounts of pesticide use, including glyphosate.

It illustrates the tension in the relationship between government authorities, regulated industries and neurologists (physicians) on the front lines.

The article details the manner in which health officials appeared to manipulate their own investigation of a disease cluster to make it less disruptive to the economy of the Canadian province of New Brunswick. (This Beyond Pesticides analysis, where not otherwise indicated, draws on Donahue’s article.)

New Brunswick has one major town, Moncton, and a large rural area characterized by agriculture and forestry. The province’s agriculture industry is dominated by blueberry production, which occupies the fourth-largest amount of agricultural land in New Brunswick.

About half the province is forested, with increasing amounts of land devoted to tree plantations intended for paper production.

Glyphosate is hands-down the most heavily used pesticide in New Brunswick forestry, and New Brunswick is second only to Ontario in Canada’s total area of glyphosate-treated forest. The herbicide is especially heavily used in clearcuts and tree plantations.

Glyphosate’s innocence, assumed for decades since it entered the market in 1974, has been thoroughly disproved.

According to a comprehensive 2020 review, it is toxic to cells; disrupts hormones and gut microbe balance; contributes to non-alcoholic liver disease; may trigger heart arrhythmias; has been strongly correlated with multiple myeloma and large B-cell lymphoma; and less strongly correlated with melanoma, leukemia and colon, rectal, bladder and kidney cancers.

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Rising cancer rates in Iowa linked to agricultural chemicals like glyphosate, atrazine and chlorpyrifos

Iowa is grappling with a stark and troubling reality: the state has recently been identified as having the fastest-growing cancer rates in the nation. This alarming increase in cancer rates has prompted a closer examination of environmental factors contributing to this troubling trend. A 2024 report by the Iowa Department of Public Health reveals that cancer rates in rural areas of the state, where pesticide use is more intensive, are significantly higher compared to urban regions. The study highlights that communities with heavy agricultural activity have seen a rise in cases of leukemia, lymphoma and breast cancer.

Iowa’s cancerous frontier dominated by glyphosate, atrazine, nitrates, chlorpyrifos

Iowa has seen a dramatic rise in cancer diagnoses, with 486 new cases per 100,000 people in 2024, surpassing the national average of 444 cases per 100,000. The estimated number of new cancer cases this year stands at 21,000, with approximately 6,100 deaths expected. This surge in cancer rates is particularly concerning given that Iowa’s cancer incidence now outpaces other states facing their own unique health challenges, such as industrial pollution, smoking and high obesity rates.

The state, known for its expansive agricultural landscape, relies heavily on pesticides to protect crops and maximize yields. The state’s agriculture sector uses a variety of chemical treatments, including herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. The most commonly used pesticides in Iowa include glyphosate, atrazine and chlorpyrifos.

Glyphosate, a broad-spectrum herbicide, is used extensively in the cultivation of corn and soybeans. Glyphosate disrupts the shikimate pathway of gut microbes and has been linked to an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system.

Atrazine, another herbicide, is frequently applied to control weeds in cornfields. Atrazine has been associated with endocrine disruption, which may increase the risk of certain cancers. Studies have found atrazine is responsible for alterations in the HPG axis, damaging reproductive function. It also has estrogenic effects, leading to  aromatase activation, including inhibition of PDE4 and altered hormone secretion — precursors to breast cancer.

Chlorpyrifos, an insecticide, is employed to combat pests in a variety of crops. Chlorpyrifos, although banned for residential use, is still permitted in agriculture and has been linked to developmental and cancer risks.

Nitrates, which are key ingredient in fertilizers used across Iowa, are linked to colorectal cancer.

In addition to herbicides, insecticides and fertilizer, radon — a naturally occurring radioactive gas — also poses a significant risk. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and is particularly problematic in Iowa, where levels are six times higher than the national average. Radon can seep into homes undetected, further exacerbating health risks for residents.

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