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File Name: monsanto_com---nhl_backgr.asp
                                          Backgrounder
Glyphosate: Response to non-Hodgkin鈥檚
Lymphoma Allegations
July, 2002

Monsanto Company

A 1999 epidemiologic study from Sweden asked people with non-Hodgkin鈥檚 lymphoma (NHL) (a
cancer typically associated with the lymph nodes) 鈥? to recall what pesticides they had used in
past years (Hardell and Eriksson 1999). The Swedish authors reported weak, non-statistically
significant associations between NHL and several herbicides, including glyphosate. The
Swedish authors did not conclude that the glyphosate associations were causal, but merely
expressed the opinion that further epidemiologic research on glyphosate was warranted.
Nonetheless, the New Scientist periodical (Pierce and Mackenzie 1999) cited the Swedish
study to raise questions about the potential for glyphosate to cause cancer in people.

Leading international experts from Karolinska Institute, Harvard, Yale and the University of
Birmingham, UK do not consider the results to be credible evidence of a glyphosate cancer link.
A review by world renowned epidemiologists concluded that uncontrolled risk factors, errors in
exposure assessment, or chance (as indicated by the lack of statistical significance in this
study) are likely explanations for the weak glyphosate / NHL association (Adami and
Trichopolous, 1999; Cullen 1999; Jackson et al., 1999). Dr. Cullen of Yale University鈥檚 School
of Medicine indicated 鈥渢he evidence regarding glyphosate in relation to NHL is meaningless, and
it would be highly inappropriate to construe this as a positive study in that regard.鈥? Similarly, a
review by Dr. Hans-Olav Adami of Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Dr. Dimitrios
Trichopolous of Harvard University concluded, "This is a study that has limited power, was
inadequately designed, poorly analyzed and confusingly reported. "

In addition, the results of the study do not meet well-established criteria from the epidemiology
literature for determining causal relationships. First, the association was deemed very weak.
Secondly, there was no control for exposure to other pesticides. Thirdly, no dose response
relationship was demonstrated. Lastly, there is no experimental evidence from several long-
term studies with laboratory animals that glyphosate is mutagenic or carcinogenic, so the
biological plausibility of the glyphosate / NHL finding is dubious.

Glyphosate is widely considered by regulatory authorities to have no evidence that it might
cause cancer in people (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1993, World Health
Organization 1994). These assessments were based on thorough reviews of numerous
toxicology studies conducted according to internationally accepted guidelines.

The most recent review was conducted by the European Commission鈥檚 Health and Consumer
Protection Directorate-General, after which glyphosate was re-registered for use in Europe
(European Commission 2002). The EC review, like others around the world, concluded that
glyphosate is not carcinogenic.




Backgrounder: Glyphosate: Response to non-Hodgkin鈥檚 Lymphoma Allegations. 2002. Page 1 of 2
References

Acquavella J, Farmer D. (1999) 鈥淩eview of: Hardell L, Eriksson M. A Case-control Study of non-Hodgkin
1
Lymphoma and Exposure to Pesticides. Cancer 1999; 85:1353-1360.鈥? Unpublished.
Cullen M. (1999) 鈥漅eview of Hardell and Eriksson, A case control study of non-Hodgkin鈥檚 lymphoma and
1
exposure to pesticides, Cancer 1999; 85: 1353-60.鈥? Unpublished.
Adami H-O, Trichopolous D. (1999) 鈥淩eview of the study by Hardell and Erikson on Non-Hodgkin
1
Lymphoma and Exposure to Pesticides. Cancer 1999; 85:1353-60.鈥? Unpublished.
European Commission. (2002) Report for the Active Substance Glyphosate, Directive 6511/VI/99, Jan.
21. http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/ph_ps/pro/eva/existing/list1_en.htm
Hardell L, Eriksson M. (1999) A Case-control Study of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and Exposure to
Pesticides. Cancer 85:1353-1360.
Jackson JR, Sorahan T, van Hemmen, J. (1999) 鈥淩ained Out.鈥? New Scientist. May 29. 162(2188): 53.
Lavy T, Cowell J, Steinmetz JR, Massey JH. (1999) Conifer seedling nursery exposure to glyphosate.
Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 22: 6-13.
Pearce F, Mackenzie D. (1999) 鈥淚t鈥檚 raining pesticides: the water falling from our skies is unfit to drink.鈥?
New Scientist 161(2180): 23.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (1993) Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED): Glyphosate.
EAP-738-F-93-011, September 1993, Washington, DC.
http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/factsheets/0178fact.pdf
World Health Organization. (1994) Glyphosate. Environmental Health Criteria No. 159. World Health
Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.




1
Unpublished references can be requested from Monsanto鈥檚 Public Affairs Director for Agricultural
Chemicals at 314-694-3546.




Backgrounder: Glyphosate: Response to non-Hodgkin鈥檚 Lymphoma Allegations. 2002. Page 2 of 2

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