Scientific studies have linked paraquat exposure to Parkinson`s disease since 2002. [4] Parkinson`s disease is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by a loss of neurons and the dopaminergic neurotransmitter they produce. There is currently no treatment to slow, stop or reverse the progression of Parkinson`s disease. More than 100,000 Canadians are currently living with Parkinson`s disease, with another 25 diagnosed every day. [5] “Although there are studies on the link between paraquat and Parkinson`s disease, this issue has never been raised by the Applicant. In addition, the Commission`s reports did not include an assessment of the literature on possible links between paraquat and Parkinson`s disease. [9] Gramoxone® is a non-selective herbicide used to control broadleaf weeds and grasses with an active ingredient called paraquat. Paraquat exposure is claimed to be linked to Parkinson`s disease. According to several studies, exposure to paraquat, the main active ingredient in gramoxone®, increases the risk of developing Parkinson`s disease. [1] www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/pesticides-pest-management/public/consultations/re-evaluation-note/2015/special-review-paraquat/document.html#a2 The defendants in the lawsuit are the Swiss international group Syngenta AG and its subsidiaries, which are responsible for the development, manufacture, marketing and sale of products containing paraquat (gramoxone®) in Canada. Paraquat is a chemical herbicide sold in Canada to kill weeds in orchards and crops such as potatoes. [1] Syngenta and its predecessors have been selling paraquat in Canada since 1963 under the brand name Gramoxone.
In 1998, a modified form of the herbicide was also marketed as a competitor to glyphosate-resistant products such as Roundup®. [2] “Cool weather impairs glyphosate`s performance, while paraquat diquat still allows for strong, non-selective control,” said Trevor Heck of Zeneca Agro in Calgary. Paraquat, also known as paraquat dichloride or N,N`-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinium dichloride, is a chemical used as a herbicide marketed in Canada under the name gramoxone®. It has been produced by Syngenta companies since 1963. Allegations have been made that companies, including Syngenta, failed to disclose the risk of Parkinson`s disease and other harms during regulatory approval processes. In the 2007 decision of the Court of First Instance of the European Union banning the use of paraquat in the European Union, the Court stated that paraquat is still used in Canada, despite tighter government regulations on its sale and use to reduce potential environmental risks and protect public health. [10] But the government can only properly regulate harmful substances if the damage is properly disclosed by the companies that manufacture and sell the products. As the European Court found, Syngenta and its predecessors may have made false safety claims and failed to inform regulators of the potential risks associated with the use of paraquat-containing products in Canada. Desmeules de Siskind is seeking financial compensation on behalf of all Canadians diagnosed with Parkinson`s disease after using or coming into contact with gramoxone and its active ingredient paraquat since it entered the Canadian market (on or about July 1, 1963). If you have gramoxone® (and its active ingredient, paraquat) and Parkinson`s disease, or know someone who does, Siskind can help. Please email [email protected] or call us toll free at 877 672 2121. Research suggests that exposure to paraquat, the main active ingredient in gramoxone®, increases the risk of developing Parkinson`s disease.
A 2011 study of farm workers found that Parkinson`s disease was 2.5 times more common in those who reported using paraquat than in non-users. There have also been systemic reviews and meta-analyses suggesting that exposure to paraquat is associated with an increased risk of developing Parkinson`s disease. Canadians have filed three class action lawsuits linking exposure to paraquat – an ingredient in some popular commercial herbicides – to Parkinson`s disease. “It (paraquat) is known to be toxic to all forms of life, from bacteria to humans,” according to a study published last year at the University of Waterloo in Ontario. In response to these troubling scientific findings and the already known acute toxic effect of paraquat, which leads to poisoning, more than 40 countries have banned its use. [7] Paraquat has even been banned since 1989 for use and export from Switzerland, Syngenta`s country of origin, since 2020. [8] Certification is the request by which the court decides whether the claim can be sued in a class action. The court will consider factors such as whether class action claims raise common legal and/or factual issues and whether a class action is the preferred method of pursuing claims (as opposed to other methods, such as individual actions). These class action lawsuits follow similar lawsuits filed in the U.S. on behalf of people diagnosed with Parkinson`s disease after exposure to paraquat.
A class action lawsuit is a claim brought by one or more individuals on behalf of a broader group of individuals whose claims have common legal and/or factual issues. Class actions are a cost-effective way for groups of people with common interests to file a legal claim. In response to all the growing evidence supporting the link between paraquat and Parkinson`s disease, the U.S. National Institute of Health launched a study in 2011 of agricultural workers exposed to the herbicide (the FAME study). [6] The study found that exposed individuals were diagnosed with Parkinson`s at a rate 2.5 times higher than those not exposed to paraquat. Several other studies have also found similar associations between the occurrence of Parkinson`s disease and paraquat exposure.
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