June 2, 2023 — An investigation by The Guardian has found evidence that Syngenta tried to downplay evidence linking the weed-killer paraquat with Parkinson’s disease.
Internal documents from Syngenta have revealed various tactics the company used to secretly influence scientific research on paraquat.
According to files reviewed by The Guardian, Syngenta secretly enlisted scientists to write papers on paraquat, misled regulators about negative research, and had lawyers review and suggest edits for scientific reports to downplay concerning findings.
Last year, The Guardian also published a trove of internal documents called the Paraquat Papers proving that Syngenta knew at least 50 years ago that paraquat could accumulate in the human brain.
Decades ago, Syngenta was also aware that animals who were exposed to paraquat could develop tremors and other symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, according to the documents.
Paraquat is a controversial weed-killer that is banned in the European Union, UK, Switzerland, China and other countries due to safety risks.
However, millions of acres of farmland in the U.S. are still sprayed with paraquat — especially corn, cotton, soybeans, and other crops.
In recent years, Syngenta has been hit by more than 2,000 lawsuits involving people who developed Parkinson’s disease after being exposed to paraquat. Many of the plaintiffs are farmers or farm-workers who used paraquat because they believed it was safe.
These lawsuits cite numerous studies linking paraquat with Parkinson’s, including a study that found a 200-600% increased risk of Parkinson’s for people who were exposed to paraquat as teenagers or young adults.
Do I have a Paraquat Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Paraquat induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease after being exposed to the weed-killer Paraquat, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Toxic Chemical Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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