TL;DR - On June 25, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in Monsanto Co. v. Durnell that FIFRA preempts state-law failure-to-warn claims that would require a cancer warning on Roundup's EPA-approved label. - Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote the majority opinion. - The ruling removes the failure-to-warn theory behind many Roundup verdicts. It did not decide other theories, such as design defect. - Bayer said it will proceed with its proposed $7.25 billion class settlement.
The decision
The case began with John Durnell, who blamed his non-Hodgkin lymphoma on years of Roundup use and won a $1.25 million jury verdict in Missouri state court in 2023. The Supreme Court held that the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) overrides state failure-to-warn claims once the EPA has approved a label without a cancer warning. The vote was 7-2.
What it changes
Failure to warn was one of the main legal theories behind the Roundup litigation, including several of the large jury verdicts of 2023 to 2025. Bayer said the ruling should lead to dismissal of failure-to-warn claims. Claims based on other theories, such as design defect, were not decided by the opinion. A St. Louis trial of three plaintiffs who opted out of the class settlement, which began September 29, 2026, is testing design-defect claims after the ruling.
Commentators have noted that the reasoning could reach other pesticide products with EPA-approved labels, although that will depend on how lower courts apply the decision.
The class settlement
Bayer has said the decision does not change its plan to proceed with the proposed $7.25 billion class settlement, which would cover current and future non-Hodgkin lymphoma claims over 21 years. See our report on the final approval hearing for the latest status.
What claimants should know
The ruling is a significant setback for failure-to-warn claims, but it does not by itself end every Roundup case. Whether a particular claim can proceed depends on the legal theory, the court and the facts. Anyone diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma after Roundup exposure should consult a licensed attorney promptly, because deadlines apply.
For the full history, see our Roundup case guide.
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