May 2, 2019
A new study shows that the cancer risk from the herbicide glyphosate is extremely low for most people who are exposed to it.
The primary ingredient in such products as Roundup, glyphosate is applied for weed control on properties ranging from farms and ranches to residential yards and golf courses.
Scientists at the National Institutes of Health, the University of Iowa, the State Health Registry of Iowa and Drexel University participated in the research. They evaluated the cancer incidence between 1993 and 2005 in more than 54,000 licensed pesticide applicators in North Carolina and Iowa.
According to the researchers, “no association was apparent between glyphosate and any solid tumors or lymphoid malignancies.”
Although they did find a slight increase in risk for leukemia in individuals who had high levels of exposure to the chemical compared to those who never used the material, they explained that “this association was not statistically significant.”
A report of the study was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The authors call for other researchers to replicate their findings, given the widespread use of the herbicide worldwide.