A federal judge has rejected an attempt by a group of cancer patients to block Bayer’s proposed $7.3 billion Roundup settlement from proceeding in Missouri state court.
The ruling, issued Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, sends the case back to state court, where a preliminary version of the settlement was approved earlier this year.
The group of 10 plaintiffs, who allege they developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after exposure to the herbicide Roundup, had argued the case should be moved to federal court. The judge ruled they did not have legal standing to do so.
Bayer has proposed a nationwide settlement to resolve tens of thousands of claims tied to Roundup exposure. The company says the agreement would provide long-term compensation while avoiding continued litigation.
A final fairness hearing in the case is scheduled for July 9th in Missouri.