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In one chapter of the BfR's report, the German agency uses the "ghostwritten" study to conclude the active ingredient glyphosate is "considered to be of low toxicological
concern." EFSA concluded in November 2015, based on this evaluation, there was insufficient evidence glyphosate caused cancer in humans, and the chemical lacked the mechanism that
would cause DNA damage in living cells and subsequent cancer in humans. The Monsanto emails indicate the studies in which it played a role deliberately ignored and played down
glyphosate's deleterious health implications, with staff acknowledging the study "stretched the limits of credibility." To boost the report's legitimacy, the company
hired Dr. David Kirkland, an independent toxicology consultant, and named him author. In response to the revelations, EFSA claimed it had investigated the matter, identified which reviews
mentioned in the Monsanto emails were considered in its risk assessment, and assessed their significance. It concluded there were "no grounds" to suggest the studies improperly
influenced the assessment. EU discussions on the renewal of the herbicide's licence, due to expire at the end of this year, will commence in Brussels soon — EU Agricultural Commissioner
Phil Hogan, speaking at the European Economic and Social Committee on April 14, expressed hope the EU would renew the weed-killer's licence for a decade or more. The exposure adds
further pressure to the embattled chemical firm, currently being sued by 225 individuals in San Francisco alone, who claim the firm's products cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare cancer.
Claimants are either farmers who have worked with the weed-killer and fallen ill, or relatives of deceased agricultural workers. The basis for the claims is World Health Organization
report, which concluded March 2015 that glyphosate is "probably carcinogenic." The company is also being sued by Washington State for damages and cleanup costs associated with
toxic polychlorinated biphenyls, which it produced for decades despite knowing about the chemical's environmental and health risks. The divisive firm, which produced the notorious Agent
Orange used by the US military in Vietnam, was furthermore booted out of Burkina Faso in March. Monsanto was one of the major beneficiaries of the controversial IMF loan agreement with
Ukraine, which opened up the country for pillaging by major US corporations.