Science journal retracts study on Monsanto’s Roundup safety due to ‘serious ethical concerns’

The journal Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology has officially retracted a major scientific paper published in 2000, which had long served as a cornerstone for Monsantos claims that its Roundup herbicide and the chemical glyphosate are not carcinogenic. Martin van den Berg, the journals editor-in-chief, cited serious ethical concerns regarding the independence and accountability of the authors and the academic integrity of the studies as the reason for the retraction.

The withdrawn study, Safety Evaluation and Risk Assessment of the Herbicide Roundup and Its Active Ingredient, Glyphosate, for Humans, asserted that glyphosate-based products posed no human health risks, including cancer, reproductive issues, or endocrine system effects in humans or animals. Regulatory agencies worldwide, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), had referenced this paper when evaluating glyphosate safety.

Although the study was authored by scientists unaffiliated with MonsantoGary Williams, Robert Kroes, and Ian Munroit later emerged through internal company documents that Monsanto had exerted significant influence on its content. Emails revealed that company officials coordinated and celebrated the publication as part of a strategy termed Freedom to Operate. Employees were praised for extensive efforts over several years to develop the research and maintain relationships with the authors.

Internal communications also indicated that Monsanto executives, including Hugh Grant, then a senior company official, actively promoted the research and its public relations value. In 2015, further emails suggested plans to ghost-write scientific papers, with external researchers signing off on work primarily produced by Monsanto scientists, referencing the 2000 paper as precedent.

The revelations of corporate influence were highlighted during court cases where plaintiffs with cancer were awarded billions in damages. Gary Williams could not be reached for comment, while the other authors, Robert Kroes and Ian Munro, are deceased. Van den Berg explained the retraction by citing concerns over misrepresented authorship, conflicts of interest, and the exclusive reliance on unpublished Monsanto studies rather than broader published research.

Bayer, which acquired Monsanto in 2018, stated that Monsantos involvement was noted in the acknowledgments section and emphasized that most glyphosate research was independent. The company maintained that regulatory bodies globally still recognize glyphosate as safe when used as directed. The EPA confirmed the retraction but noted it had never based its regulatory conclusions on this specific article and continues to assess glyphosate using thousands of studies. An updated risk assessment is expected in 2026.

Brent Wisner, a lead lawyer in Roundup litigation, described the study as an example of corporate interference in scientific research through ghostwriting and selective reporting. He welcomed the retraction as overdue and hoped it would encourage journals to safeguard scientific integrity.

The announcement of the studys withdrawal coincided with ongoing legal battles, including the U.S. government urging the Supreme Court to consider Bayers request to limit lawsuits claiming Roundup causes cancer. Plaintiffs allege that exposure to glyphosate-based products caused conditions such as non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

Author: Ava Mitchell