German chemical giant Bayer appears before a French court on Monday over the alleged link between exposure to glyphosate, its flagship product, during fetal development and severe birth defects suffered by a young man.
The civil case could potentially “set a precedent” in France, where other potential victims of the world’s most sold herbicide might bring their cases “more quickly” to justice, said the plaintiff, Théo, with a whisper.
Key Points
- Plaintiff’s Background and Health Issues: Théo, now 17 years old, lacks vocal cords and speaks by vibrating his esophagus. He has undergone 55 surgeries to enable normal eating, yet continues to breathe and speak through “a hole in the throat.”
- Timeline of Events: The events date back to 2006 when his mother, Sabine Grataloup, used glyphosate to clear a riding path, applying it multiple times without protective gear. She was unaware she was several weeks pregnant.
- Birth Defects and Legal Action: Théo was born in May 2007 with malformations in his esophagus and trachea. His parents filed a lawsuit against Monsanto, which Bayer acquired, in 2018 for failing to warn about the risk of birth defects.
- Legal Goals: The family seeks a legal evaluation within a responsibility claim framework to potentially demand damages if a causal link between glyphosate and Théo’s disability is confirmed.
In 2018, the French Victims Pesticides Compensation Fund recognized the connection between the herbicide and Théo’s condition, providing him with €1,000 (approximately $1,100) monthly since then.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization classified glyphosate as a “probable carcinogen.” Since late 2018, the product has been banned in France for domestic use.
