Paraquat Lawsuit
Thousands of people exposed to paraquat, a toxic herbicide, are filing lawsuits after developing Parkinson’s disease and other serious health issues. Plaintiffs allege that manufacturers like Syngenta failed to warn about paraquat’s long-term neurological risks. As of November 2025, there are 6,433 paraquat lawsuits pending in federal litigation.
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- Legally reviewed by Julie Lawson Timmer, Esquire
- Last update: November 26, 2025
- Est. Read Time: 11 min read
- Multidistrict Litigation
- MDL 3004 includes 6,433 paraquat lawsuits as of November 2025. These are consolidated in a southern Illinois federal court and presided over by Chief Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel.
- Settlement Amounts
- Based on settlement amounts Bayer paid to resolve 100,000 Roundup lawsuits, legal experts estimate paraquat settlements could average $100,000 to $150,000. However, the exact amount of any settlement would vary depending on the type and severity of injuries, age, venue and other factors.
- Next Milestones
- The judge has put bellwether trials and related proceedings on hold until early 2026 while both sides in the MDL work on a settlement agreement.
What Is the Paraquat Lawsuit?
Paraquat lawsuits are legal actions filed by people who developed Parkinson’s disease after they were exposed to paraquat, a highly toxic herbicide. Plaintiffs claim that manufacturers like Syngenta failed to warn users about the herbicide’s long-term neurological risks.
Paraquat is a toxic herbicide that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies as “restricted use,” allowing only licensed users to handle it.
Some of the earliest lawsuits claiming paraquat caused Parkinson’s disease were filed in 2017, according to Syngenta’s 2018 financial report. In its 2023 year-end financial report, Syngenta stated that since September 2017, a total of approximately 7,300 suits have been filed against the company in both state and federal courts.
In 2021, the paraquat cases were consolidated into multidistrict litigation (MDL), which combines similar lawsuits against a common defendant into one federal court. A total of 8,188 paraquat cases have been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. The great majority of them are still pending.
On June 1, 2021, Syngenta and another co-defendant settled an unspecified number of paraquat claims for $187.5 million, which was paid to a special fund to verify and distribute to the affected individuals.
In April 2025, an agreement was reached between plaintiffs and defendants to settle many of the paraquat cases pending in federal court.
The first bellwether trial in the MDL has been delayed until early 2026. Paraquat attorneys are still accepting cases from people who developed Parkinson’s disease after long-term exposure to paraquat. It is unclear if this trial will still move forward depending on the exact terms of the April settlement. If you think you are eligible for a paraquat lawsuit, Drugwatch can connect you with an experienced lawyer.
- An MDL combines similar lawsuits from around the country into a single federal court for pretrial proceedings. Each person keeps an individual case and may get a unique outcome.
- Philadelphia paraquat lawsuits are handled in a single state court. This allows for grouping similar cases filed in Pennsylvania. It also allows people living outside the state to file their paraquat lawsuits in the Philadelphia court.
- Where your case ends up (MDL or mass tort court) can affect timing, the judge and your compensation, since each system has its own rules and pace.
What is the Average Settlement for a Paraquat Lawsuit?
Some lawyers have speculated that an average paraquat settlement amount could be between $100,000 and $150,000, depending on the severity of the injuries. These numbers are based on the average payments Bayer made to settle 100,000 Roundup lawsuits.
This is just an estimate, and we caution you against using these figures as fact.
In April 2025, defendants and plaintiffs reached an agreement to resolve many of the paraquat lawsuits pending in the MDL. The exact terms of the settlement have not yet been finalized or released.
In June 2021, Syngenta and another defendant reached a settlement agreement with some paraquat claimants for $187.5 million, according to our review of Syngenta’s 2022 annual report. There haven’t been any other publicly announced settlements since then.
Examples of Factors That Can Affect Individual Paraquat Settlement Amounts
- Age
- Amount of economic loss
- Quality of proof
- Type and duration of exposure
- Type and severity of injury
- Venue (MDL or state court)
The herbicide Roundup is sometimes confused with paraquat, but Roundup does not contain paraquat. Roundup’s active ingredient is glyphosate — a chemical linked to non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Paraquat dichloride is the active ingredient in commercial herbicides like Gramoxone.
Who Qualifies for a Paraquat Lawsuit?
You may qualify to file a paraquat lawsuit if you were exposed to the herbicide and subsequently developed Parkinson’s disease.
Exposure can occur through direct contact, inhalation, accidental ingestion or proximity to areas where the chemical is used.
- Agricultural workers, farmers, licensed paraquat applicators, growers, pickers and landscapers.
- People who live near farmland sprayed with paraquat.
- Those who work around commercial weed killers and pesticides containing paraquat, including Firestorm, Gramoxone, Helmquat and Parazone.
- Failed to warn of the risks of Parkinson’s from paraquat
- No directions were given on how to avoid exposure
- Defendants concealed the defective condition of their products
- Paraquat could cause Parkinson’s by killing dopamine-producing neurons.
- A 2019 study found people exposed to paraquat have a 1.3 to 3.6 times increased risk of Parkinson’s.
- The scientific community has known about the toxicity of paraquat since the 1960s.
Agricultural workers are most at risk, but people who live near industrial farms may also be exposed to paraquat. If you live near a farm where parquat is used, you could be exposed to spray drift or contaminated water. You may be able to seek legal action to hold manufacturers accountable for health damages caused by this toxic herbicide.
Contacting a paraquat lawyer is the best way to be sure you qualify for a lawsuit. An experienced paraquat attorney can answer your questions on how long you have to file a case and what types of paraquat exposure may be eligible.
- Lived on a farm and used, mixed or applied a herbicide containing paraquat
- Lived with someone who used, mixed or applied paraquat (secondary exposure)
- Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease after your first exposure to paraquat
- Currently not represented by an attorney
Even if you don’t meet all eligibility requirements on this checklist, it may still be worth speaking with a lawyer to determine what your options are.
Why Paraquat Lawsuits Are Being Filed
Plaintiffs who filed lawsuits against Syngenta, Chevron and other companies are seeking compensation to hold corporations accountable for negligence and failure to warn of the risks of Parkinson’s disease.
- Compensation for Injuries: There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease and people with the condition will have to undergo treatment for the rest of their lives.
- Hold Companies Accountable: People who filed paraquat lawsuits claim manufacturers knew the weed killer was toxic for years and that it could cause Parkinson’s disease. Despite this, they continued to sell it and concealed this information from plaintiffs and others.
- Spread Awareness: Paraquat has been used in commercial farming and agriculture in the United States since the 1960s, but many people are unaware of its risks. Some people use it on the job, while others live near farms that use the toxic weed killer without knowing the potential dangers.
Parkinson’s disease can be debilitating. Filing a paraquat lawsuit may help secure compensation to pay for costly medical bills, lost wages and other expenses for past and future care. You may also seek compensation for physical and emotional pain and suffering, as well as loss of quality of life.
How to File a Paraquat Lawsuit
There are seven steps to filing a paraquat lawsuit if you or a loved one were exposed to the herbicide and later developed Parkinson’s disease.
- Determine eligibility: Make sure you qualify by having had long-term exposure to paraquat and a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.
- Gather evidence: Collect important papers like medical records that confirm a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, work history that shows jobs in farming or other fields where paraquat was used, and any evidence of exposure to paraquat.
- Consult an attorney: Contact a personal injury lawyer who has experience with paraquat cases. They can help assess your situation and support you through the legal steps. Drugwatch can connect you with a trusted attorney to assess your case.
- File the claim: Your lawyer will assist you in bringing your case to the right court and ensure everything is done according to the law.
- Participate in the discovery phase: Both sides will look at the evidence and talk to witnesses. Your lawyer might also discuss a potential settlement agreement with the paraquat manufacturer involved.
- Comply with court orders: Make sure to follow the court's instructions. This might include showing evidence of your exposure within specific timeframes and deadlines.
- Prepare for trial or settlement: If you have a case, it may be included in the paraquat MDL. Be prepared to wait as bellwether trials determine if you may be part of a settlement. MDLs are long processes lasting for years after you file a lawsuit.
How to Gather Evidence of Paraquat Exposure
To file a paraquat lawsuit, you will need to prove that you were exposed to paraquat. You can do this by gathering evidence before consulting with an attorney. This checklist outlines potentially useful evidence and documentation.
Paraquat Lawsuit Evidence Checklist
- Applicator license
- Employer records
- Paraquat invoices
- Purchase records
- Spray logs
- Crop-year calendars
- Distance to fields
- Maps
- Wind data
- Diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease
- Documents of medical tests
- Medical bills
- Inquiries from your county agriculture commissioner
- Statements from coworkers and family
Remember that there are deadlines for filing a lawsuit. To protect your rights, it’s important to take action quickly and talk to a lawyer as soon as you can. This way, you can make sure your case is filed on time.
- An exposure and diagnosis timeline
- Medical diagnosis of Parkinson’s
- Proof of paraquat exposure
- Work history highlighting paraquat use
Questions To Ask a Paraquat Attorney
Expert & Patient Perspectives
Paraquat Litigation Updates
Here are significant updates on MDL 3004 — the paraquat MDL in the Southern District of Illinois.
Paraquat Lawsuit Timeline: Key Dates and Legal Milestones
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November 13, 2025: EPA Issuing Data Call-In for Paraquat
The EPA has released an updated review of paraquat and is now issuing a data call-in to manufacturers of the herbicide to attain more information. New research has shown that there is “greater uncertainty” surrounding paraquat’s ability to volatilize. Paraquat is already banned in dozens of countries around the globe.
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November 10, 2025: More Than 6,000 Paraquat Lawsuits Active, Awaiting Settlement Framework
Currently, 6,433 active paraquat lawsuits are grouped together in federal court, holding mostly steady from a month ago when the number stood at 6,435. These cases are still awaiting a public update on what a potential settlement framework may entail, including how many cases are covered, whether there will be a cutoff date and what individual payouts may look like. As 2025 winds down, new information may not become available until early next year.
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November 3, 2025: January Status Conference Added to Schedule as Settlement Work Continues
A status conference for the thousands of paraquat lawsuits active in federal court has been scheduled for Jan. 5. That is the same day that the pause on work for these cases was extended to in order to allow both sides to focus on finalizing a settlement agreement. We are still waiting to hear the final details of this settlement.
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October 15, 2025: What Cases Will the Paraquat Settlement Cover?
We are still waiting for the paraquat settlement to be finalized. Both sides have been given until January to continue hammering out the details. As of now, it is still unclear exactly how many of the thousands of pending paraquat cases will be resolved through this potential settlement. There are more than 6,400 active cases grouped together in federal court, with other cases in state court as well. If and when the settlement is finalized, we will know more about the types of cases included as well as what payouts could look like. We will report back here as soon as that information is available.
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October 1, 2025: More Paraquat Lawsuits Filed
At the start of October, there are 6,445 active paraquat lawsuits in federal court. This is a jump of about 80 cases over the last month as we continue to await final word on a settlement agreement.
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September 29, 2025: MDL Stay Extended Into Next Year, Trial Postponed
The pause on work in the paraquat MDL has once again been extended and is now set to last quite awhile. Judge Rosenstengel ordered that the pause remain in place until Jan. 5, 2026 and also vacated the bellwether trial that had been scheduled for October. The postponement of the trial is not a surprise given that a settlement for these cases is being finalized. Judge Rosenstengel said in her order that the pause will "allow the settlement process to unfold."
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September 17, 2025: Paraquat MDL Pause Expires Soon
The pause on case-specific discovery in the paraquat MDL is set to expire at the end of next week. That pause had been put in place to allow both sides to focus on finalizing a settlement agreement that could resolve these cases. We are still awaiting word on the finalized terms of that settlement.
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August 2025
The judge overseeing the paraquat lawsuits grouped together in federal court has once again extended a pause on work in the MDL so both sides can focus on finalizing a settlement agreement for these cases. That pause will last now until Sept. 26. The settlement, which has been in the negotiation phase since at least April, could potentially resolve thousands of cases.
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June 2025
We are still awaiting word on the final terms on the tentative settlement agreement for these cases. Early this month, More than 100 lawsuits were dismissed from the litigation for failing to turn in a questionnaire that all active cases were required to complete. There are still thousands of pending cases, and this isn't something that should mean much for the wider progress of these lawsuits.
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May 2025
Following last month's news that the parties in the paraquat litigation have signed a letter agreement intended to settle cases, the MDL has paused the case discovery process. The court said that the pausing of this process will "allow counsel to focus on finalizing the terms of their agreement." The parties have been given a June 11 deadline to update the court on the status of a final agreement.
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April 2025
Newly filed court documents show that a letter agreement intended to settle many of the cases in the MDL has been signed by the parties in that litigation. It is unclear how many of the active paraquat lawsuits will be included in the settlement, but documents state that it will resolve “many” of the claims. Syngenta, which manufacturers paraquat, moved to reach a settlement agreement before the first bellwether trial takes place in October.
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January 2025
The EPA, which was initially expected to publish information this month in relation to its stance on paraquat, has now said that more information is necessary for it to evaluate the herbicide. The agency now plans to withdraw a previous interim decision on paraquat.
In the paraquat Multidistrict Litigation (MDL), bellwether trial dates have been set for Oct. 14 of this year and April 6, 2026. Bellwether trials help to inform the overall direction of the litigation and can play a big role in determining its outcome. -
December 2024
The paraquat Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) saw a decline of 10 cases in December. This is the second time in the last three months that the number of MDL cases has decreased.
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November 2024
At the start of the month, seven U.S. senators signed a letter urging the EPA to ban paraquat, citing its toxicity as well as the potential risk of Parkinson’s disease.
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October 2024
Despite the EPA’s insistence that it has not found a link between paraquat and Parkinson’s, 47 members of Congress signed a letter to the EPA advocating for a ban on paraquat, citing its serious toxicity and ties to the development of Parkinson’s disease. Paraquat is already banned in dozens of other countries.
This month, there was also a slight update to the 10 cases that were chosen in August as potential bellwethers, select cases within the MDL that represent the overarching litigation.
Two of those cases were voluntarily dismissed after being selected, and the court has now picked two new cases to take their place. Court documents say the possibility of dismissals had been anticipated, so this change likely won’t have a big impact on the direction or schedule of the litigation.
Bellwether trials let both sides see how their cases may play out. Depending on how they go, plaintiffs may drop their cases if their side loses the bellwethers or defendants may offer to settle all the lawsuits if they suffer the losses. -
August 2024
MDL Judge Nancy Rosenstengel has selected 10 new potential bellwether cases to move into discovery. Discovery is the process where the parties exchange information they plan to use at trial. Because the testimony of one of the plaintiff’s key experts was thrown out in April, the original four bellwether cases were dismissed.
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June 2024
On June 5, Judge Rosenstengel extended the deadline for bellwether case selection by 30 days. In the meantime, new cases continue to be filed in the MDL, but not as many as before. However, lawyers say there has been an uptick in newly filed cases in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas following the cancellation of the previous bellwether trials in the MDL.
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May 2024
The judge allowed plaintiffs an extension until June 10 to select 16 new potential bellwether cases for limited discovery, according to our review of court documents. "Limited discovery" restricts the scope and extent of information parties can request from each other, with the goal of streamlining the process and reducing costs. After the shake-up last month with bellwether trials and key expert testimony being barred, it is good news that the litigation continues to move forward.
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April 2024
MDL Judge Nancy Rosenstengel dismissed four bellwether test trial lawsuits after throwing out the testimony of the plaintiffs’ key expert on general causation. General causation involves determining if a product — paraquat in this case — can, in principle, cause a specific type of injury. In this case, Parkinson's. In our experience with mass tort cases, expert witnesses are vital for linking a product to the specific type of harm it is alleged to have caused. For example, in the case of paraquat, expert witnesses help establish its causal connection to Parkinson's disease. If their testimony is weakened, it can hurt the case. But plaintiffs’ attorneys continue to take cases and are finding a way forward. The judge has allowed a new batch of bellwether cases to be selected.
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January 2024
The MDL Court issued a case management order requiring depositions in 25 cases to be completed over the next two months. The order stated that the defendants had identified these cases as using unlikely theories of liability that linked the plaintiffs' illnesses with exposure to paraquat. A theory of liability is the legal basis for holding a defendant liable for a plaintiff's injuries. Examples of theories of liability include negligence, breach of warranty and strict liability. In its order, the court found the plaintiffs’ theories were unlikely to have caused their injuries.
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November 2023
According to ABC News, Syngenta and Chevron were aware of concerns since the 1980s, as shown by internal documents obtained by Carey Gillam, managing editor for The New Lede — a news website supported by the Environmental Working Group.
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June 2023
Hearing on summary judgment and Daubert motions held. A summary judgment is a decision by a court (in favor of one side and against the other side) that is reached without a full trial. A Daubert motion is filed by a party (usually the defendant) and seeks to exclude an expert's testimony in court. In their summary judgment motion, Chevron and Syngenta asked the court to dismiss claims linking their herbicide Paraquat to Parkinson’s disease, arguing that there's no solid scientific evidence to support this connection. If the court grants the motion, it could result in the dismissal of 3,700 claims from the lawsuit.
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April 2023
The court modified the schedule for filing and responding to key motions in the paraquat MDL. Its order set deadlines for motions, responses, and replies related to expert testimony (Daubert motions) and summary judgment motions. It also outlined page limits, optional "roadmap" briefs, and a hearing starting August 21, 2023.
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March 2023
A judge signed an order allowing cases in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas to proceed with a short-form complaint. A short-form complaint is a simplified legal document that allows people to become part of a lawsuit by referencing key parts of a master complaint. They can add their own specific details about their case, such as injuries and losses they've suffered — usually by simply checking boxes. This approach makes it easier to process and handle many claims at once.
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December 2022
The paraquat MDL reported a total of 2,352 pending cases, an increase of 1,870 new cases in the past year.
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February 2022
The court agreed to dismiss some of the complaints against Chevron and Syngenta. Specifically, the court threw out public nuisance claims against Chevron as well as consumer protection claims brought under Minnesota law against Syngenta. However, other parts of the case will still move forward and be heard in court.
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December 2021
The paraquat MDL grew to 482 cases in its first year.
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November 2021
The court ordered that Chevron U.S.A. Inc. is the only Chevron-related entity to be responsible for liabilities related to paraquat. Cases involving related companies and subsidiaries with exposure after 1990 were dismissed.
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July 2021
The court appointed Randi Ellis as Special Master in the paraquat MDL. Special masters are appointed to assist courts with complex litigation. Special masters may conduct hearings, accept evidence and testimony, issue orders, and provide reports for the judge presiding over the case. They may also help resolve disagreements between the parties, oversee group settlements, and ensure the court’s orders are followed.
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June 2021
The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation created MDL 3004 with 14 paraquat lawsuits from six different federal court districts. It was consolidated in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois with Judge Nancy Rosenstengel presiding.
Lawyers are investigating paraquat claims in all 50 states.
Real Case Examples of Paraquat Claims
Many individual and class-action paraquat lawsuits are now consolidated as an MDL in Illinois federal court under Chief Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel.
In most cases, plaintiffs worked with paraquat for many years before receiving a Parkinson’s diagnosis.
Iowa farmer Doug Holliday filed a class-action lawsuit against Syngenta and Chevron USA on behalf of himself and others, alleging the defendants put people at increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease and failed to warn them of this risk. Holliday had sprayed paraquat on thousands of acres of crop ground since the 1990s, and last used paraquat a few years ago. He alleges that had he known of the increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, he would have used an alternative product.
Missouri resident Robin Adams and her husband routinely used paraquat products. Her lawsuit claims she developed Parkinson’s disease after more than 15 years of paraquat exposure by pesticide drift, direct exposure and drinking water contamination. Adams had no way of knowing about the serious risk of illness from exposure until approximately 2021.
Louisiana resident Thelma Ratcliffe filed a paraquat lawsuit on behalf of her deceased husband, Harvey, who died from complications of Parkinson’s disease after years of paraquat exposure. Harvey had been exposed to paraquat extensively between 2001 to 2016 and did not know that even if properly handled according to the instructions, paraquat was harmful and could cause serious injury or illness.
How Paraquat Exposure Is Linked to Parkinson’s Disease
The link between paraquat and Parkinson’s has been discussed since as early as 2011. A study published in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal that year found that participants with Parkinson’s disease were 2.5 times more likely to have been exposed to herbicides like paraquat than those without the disease.
“Paraquat is a very dangerous toxic chemical, and it has been known to be neurotoxic and cause nerve injury. Parkinson’s disease is a … major neurological condition, and large, major epidemiological studies are showing a very strong connection.”
The harmful effects of paraquat on nerves and the stress it causes in the body are thought to contribute to Parkinson’s disease, although scientists are still exploring how this happens.
Most independent research has found an association between paraquat and Parkinson’s disease. However, industry and some regulatory reviews say the link is not definitive enough to warrant strict regulation or prove direct causation.
| WHAT STUDIES SUGGEST | WHAT’S CONTESTED |
|---|---|
| Paraquat exposure is linked to higher Parkinson's risk, especially with frequent or long-term contact. | Industry argues the link is weak and unproven, citing studies with no clear connection. |
| The greatest risk is among agricultural workers and those living near herbicide spraying. | Critics say many studies rely on memory, not direct exposure measurements. |
| Meta-analyses showed consistent associations between paraquat and Parkinson's in most studies. | Parkinson’s can result from many causes, and not all research finds a link to paraquat. |
- Literature Review and Meta-Analysis of Environmental Toxins Associated With Increased Risk of Parkinson's Disease (Science of the Total Environment)
- An April 2024 study found that being around the herbicide paraquat, whether at work or in the environment, can raise your chances of developing Parkinson's disease. The highest risk was seen among people who worked directly with chemicals like paraquat.
- Agricultural Paraquat Dichloride Use and Parkinson's Disease In California's Central Valley (International Journal of Epidemiology)
- A February 2024 study found that people exposed to paraquat in California's Central Valley were more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than those with no exposure. Researchers found that longer, more frequent exposure to paraquat raises the risk of Parkinson's.
- Paraquat and Parkinson’s Disease: Has The Burden of Proof Shifted? (International Journal of Epidemiology)
- A September 2024 study analyzed 13 previous projects and found a link between paraquat exposure and Parkinson's disease. However, the researchers cautioned that many earlier studies relied on participants' memories of their exposures, which can lead to inaccuracies.
While these three studies suggest that Parkinson’s disease can be linked to paraquat exposure, not all research agrees.
A September 2024 European Society of Medicine review argued that there isn’t strong enough evidence to say that exposure to paraquat causes Parkinson’s disease. This conclusion also took into account data from the Agricultural Health Study (AHS), which is designed and paid for by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
Is Paraquat Banned in the United States?
Paraquat is not banned in the United States, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has restricted its use to licensed applicators. But, because of its toxicity, some lawmakers and activists have fought to get it banned. So far, legislation to ban paraquat hasn’t been successful.
| Bahrain | Gambia | Mali | Sri Lanka |
| Benin | Guinea | Mauritania | Switzerland |
| Brazil | Guinea-Bissau | Morocco | Syria |
| Burkina Faso | Israel | Mozambique | Taiwan |
| Cabo Verde | Ivory Coast | Niger | Thailand |
| Cambodia | South Korea | Nigeria | Togo |
| Chad | Kuwait | Oman | Turkey |
| Chile | Lao PDR | Peru | United Arab Emirates |
| China | Malawi | Qatar | United Kingdom |
| EU (all 27 member countries) | Malaysia | Saudi Arabia | Vietnam |
| Fiji | Maldives | Senegal |
After reviewing more than 70 articles on paraquat exposure, the EPA concluded “there is insufficient evidence to link registered paraquat products to any of the health outcomes investigated, including Parkinson’s disease, when used according to the label.”
Paraquat Health Implications
Paraquat is highly lethal if ingested. Swallowing one to two teaspoons of the herbicide is enough to kill you. There is no antidote.
In addition, paraquat has been associated with a multitude of potential health risks and complications.
- Gastrointestinal issues such as severe nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea.
- Brain, nervous system and muscle conditions, including weakness, seizures, respiratory failure, confusion and coma.
- Organ damage, including respiratory failure, lung scarring, acute kidney failure, liver failure and pulmonary edema — a condition in which your lungs fill with fluid, cutting off your oxygen supply.
Signs of Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive condition that affects how people move. It happens when nerve cells in the brain weaken and die. This leads to lower levels of dopamine, a chemical that helps control smooth and coordinated movements when walking, writing or performing other daily activities.
In addition to affecting movement, this loss can disrupt some automatic body functions, such as regulating blood pressure.
The exact reasons why Parkinson’s occurs aren’t completely clear, but scientists often find Lewy bodies — abnormal clumps of protein — inside the brain cells of those affected by the disease.
The symptoms of PD typically begin on one side of the body. Over time, they become more pronounced.
- Tremors: Rhythmic shaking, often starting in a hand.
- Rigidity: Muscle stiffness, causing discomfort and difficulty moving.
- Bradykinesia: Slowed movement, making daily tasks harder.
- Postural instability: Balance issues, increasing fall risk.
- Gait changes: Leaning forward, shuffling steps and difficulty starting or stopping movement.
- Non-movement symptoms: Depression, memory problems, sleep disturbances and fatigue.
Parkinson’s Disease Resources
Parkinson’s disease can be overwhelming for patients and caregivers, but numerous resources are available to provide support, education and community. These organizations offer valuable tools, from medical information to emotional support, helping you navigate the challenges of Parkinson’s and improve your quality of life.
- Parkinson’s Foundation: Provides comprehensive resources on living with Parkinson’s, finding specialists, support groups and ongoing advocacy efforts.
- Michael J. Fox Foundation: This organization offers information on cutting-edge Parkinson’s research, funding opportunities and active clinical trials. It also has a clinical trial finder for those interested in participating in Parkinson’s disease research.
- Parkinson’s Buddy Network: Part of the Michael J. Fox Foundation, this online support group is designed to connect people based on shared interests and topics. You can access free resources and engage in meaningful conversations.
- American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA): Provides localized support through chapters across the U.S., educational programs, and tools to help individuals and caregivers manage Parkinson’s effectively.
- Brian Grant Foundation: This organization, founded by former NBA player Brian Grant after his Parkinson’s diagnosis, focuses on holistic care — mind, body and spirit. It offers evidence-based resources for overall wellness and a community of people affected by Parkinson’s.
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