In a federal court on Tuesday, Dr. Cristian Tomasetti, director of the Center for Cancer Prevention and Early Detection at City of Hope Cancer Center, defended his cancer research in the ongoing legal battles concerning Monsanto’s Roundup pesticide. Tomasetti is a key expert for Monsanto, a company recently acquired by Bayer, in various Roundup trials. Over the last two years, the verdicts have largely been in Monsanto’s favor, with the company securing nine straight victories until a month prior, when five consecutive plaintiff victories earned a total of over $2 billion in damages.
Tomasetti’s presence in the courtroom on Tuesday was for a “Daubert” hearing where he appeared before U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria. His research, pivotal to Monsanto’s defense in the numerous Roundup trials, attempts to determine the causes of cancer. This current legal heat adds to the complex and ongoing narrative surrounding Monsanto’s Roundup trials.