What is the Alleged Problem with Paraquat?

Studies suggest that exposure to Paraquat may be linked to the development of serious health complications. According to the Unified Parkinson’s Advocacy Council (UPAC), studies “indicate that exposure to paraquat, either directly through air or clothing-borne herbicide drift, markedly increases risk of developing Parkinson’s.”

According to the American Council on Science and Health, Paraquat’s relative toxicity of glyphosate, another popularly used herbicide known to be toxic, ranges from 33-250. A lethal dose for an average person is around 2.5 grams, and it is even more toxic when inhaled. Paraquat’s toxicity has made it a traditionally popular agent for suicide because it can kill a person with a single sip.

Paraquat Linked to Parkinson’s Disease

In February 2011, the National Institute of Health (NIH) conducted a study – the Farming and Movement Evaluation (FAME) – exploring claims that exposure to the popular herbicide Paraquat could be linked to a greater risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

Following the study’s release, Syngenta, a Swiss herbicide manufacturer, claimed on its website that data from the study showed that farmers who use Paraquat are less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than the general population. This claim was highly debated by the study’s authors, who attested that the data from the study showed that individuals were roughly two and a half times more likely to develop Parkinson’s after being exposed to Paraquat (or a similar herbicide – Rotenone).

FAME Study Finds Paraquat Parkinson’s Disease Risk

FAME drew data from the Agricultural Health Study, a larger project that tracked more than 80,000 farmers, agricultural workers, and their spouses. FAME researchers identified 115 individuals who had developed Parkinson’s, studying 110 of these individuals who were open to providing information on the herbicide they frequently used.

Syngenta held the findings in contention, arguing that because only 115 individuals developed Parkinson’s out of more than 80,000 North Carolinians and Iowans included in the Agricultural Health Study, direct correlation between Paraquat and an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s could not be proven. “The incidence of Parkinson’s disease [in the study] appears to be lower than in the general U.S. population,” explained Syngenta, trying to rationalize their website’s claim.

Dr. Caroline M. Tanner, the director of the Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education and Clinical Centers at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the lead author of the FAME study explained that Syngenta’s argument held no basis because FAME was not a comprehensive assessment of the incident Parkinson’s among all 80,000 individuals. Rather, the study chose a group of people who did have Parkinson’s – studying that specific group against a control group.

In actuality, FAME relied on self-reporting from participants of the larger Agricultural Health Study. “There were probably quite a few people with Parkinson’s disease who did not enroll in our study,” explained Dr. Freya Kamel, a scientist at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, a branch of the National Institutes of Health and a co-author of the FAME study.

Syngenta said it “went to significant lengths to attempt to access the data” from the FAME study so that the manufacturer could “gain as complete an understanding as possible of the study in the pursuit of scientific rigor.” Kamel called Syngenta’s analysis inappropriate.

Kamel found the FAME study data linking Paraquat to Parkinson’s “about as persuasive as these things can get.”

A similar study conducted in 2012 – the Genetic Modification of the Association of Paraquat and Parkinson’s Disease – found that individuals who used Paraquat, and who also had a specific genetic variation, were 11 times more likely to develop Parkinson’s, indicating that some people are put at greater risk by being exposed to the chemical.

If you have been exposed to Paraquat — or similar herbicide Rotenone — and subsequently developed Parkinson’s disease or signs of ongoing developing Parkinson’s, you may qualify to participate in the Paraquat lawsuit.  Contact Peiffer Wolf and TorHoerman Law today for a free, no-obligation Paraquat lawsuit consultation. Our experienced chemical exposure law team can help you assess your case and your best plan of action.

Contact Us Today | Free Consultations | 314-669-3600

If you have been exposed to Paraquat — or similar herbicide Rotenone — and subsequently developed Parkinson’s disease or signs of ongoing developing Parkinson’s, you may qualify to participate in the Paraquat lawsuit.

Contact Peiffer Wolf and TorHoerman Law today for a FREE, no-obligation Paraquat lawsuit consultation. Our experienced chemical exposure law team can help you assess your case and your best plan of action.

Paraquat Lawsuit Filed

There is currently a Paraquat lawsuit filed in St. Clair County, Illinois. The lawsuit, which was filed on Oct. 6, 2017, is filed on behalf of farmers and agricultural workers who were exposed to Paraquat and, as a result, developed Parkinson’s disease. The original defendants named in the Paraquat lawsuit were Syngenta and Growmark.

Plaintiffs in the Paraquat lawsuit claim that Syngenta and Growmark manufactured Paraquat, distributed and sold it as Gramoxone or by other names since 1964.

In an amended complaint, plaintiffs also named Chevron Chemical as a defendant, claiming that Chevron acted in concert with Syngenta and Growmark.

Plaintiffs argue that, before the recent studies linking paraquat to Parkinson’s, they were completely unaware that the chemical posed any long-term health risks.

Paraquat Lawsuit Eligibility

If you have previously been exposed to Paraquat — or similar herbicide Rotenone — and subsequently developed Parkinson’s disease or signs of ongoing developing Parkinson’s, you may qualify to participate in the Paraquat lawsuit.

Contact the offices of  Peiffer Wolf and TorHoerman Law today for a free, no-obligation Paraquat lawsuit case consultation. Our experienced team can help you assess your case and your best plan of action.

Contact Us Today | Free Consultations | 314-669-3600

If you have been exposed to Paraquat — or similar herbicide Rotenone — and subsequently developed Parkinson’s disease or signs of ongoing developing Parkinson’s, you may qualify to participate in the Paraquat lawsuit.

Contact Peiffer Wolf and TorHoerman Law today for a FREE, no-obligation Paraquat lawsuit consultation. Our experienced chemical exposure law team can help you assess your case and your best plan of action.