Event summary
An international group of leading experts ranging from exposure scientists, epidemiologists, toxicologists, physician scientists, public communicators, lawyers, and journalists who have studied glyphosate and other pesticides, came together to review the state of the science since 2016 and to provide valuable perspective on the management of pesticides in the U.S. and globally using a public health lens.
A large portion of the symposium covered health impacts, ranging from cancer and genotoxicity, reproductive health and neurotoxic effects, microbiome disruption, and metabolic and hepatic effects. The symposium also covered the broader context of glyphosate and pesticides in general, addressing both the current regulatory environment and the larger public health context. These include:
- The toxicity of glyphosate relative to other pesticides on the market
- How dietary exposure has evolved over time with changes in glyphosate usage
- Changes in formulations of Roundup products
- How pesticide labels affect pesticide usage behaviors
Attendees had the opportunity to share their own research and insights during the poster session March 25.
Symposium impact
Building off the scientific 2016 consensus statement: Concerns over use of glyphosate-based herbicides and their risks, the intended outcomes from after the 2-day event include an expert statement which was released on March 27 in conjunction with a media event, followed by the publication in the peer-reviewed scientific literature of a paper summarizing the symposium's findings. The expert (joint) statement is linked at the top of this page.
Agenda
Date/Time
Topic
March 25
7:30-8:30 am
Registration, continental breakfast and check-in
8:30-9:00
Welcome, Purpose, Goals, and Organization
9:00-10:00
Does Glyphosate and Glyphosate-Based Herbicides Increase Cancer? Insights From and Contrasts Across Assessments and Legal Decisions
10:00-10:20
New Glyphosate-Related Developments in 2026
10:20-10:40
Break
10:40-12:00
Exposure Overview and Exposure Assessment for Epidemiology
12:00-1:00
Lunch
1:00-2:15
Epidemiological and Toxicological Evidence Informing Assessment of Glyphosate and Glyphosate-Based Herbicide Carcinogenicity
2:15-2:30
Break
2:30-4:00
New Science and Evidence Integration Informing Assessment of Glyphosate and Glyphosate-Based Herbicide Carcinogenicity
4:00-6:00
March 26
7:30-8:30
Continental breakfast
8:30-8:45
Welcome and Recap
8:45-9:40
New Science from Mechanistic and Toxicological Studies of Non-Cancer Outcomes
9:40-9:55
Break
9:55-11:00
New Science from Epidemiological Studies of Non-Cancer Outcomes
11:00-12:30
The Back Story: Civil Tort Litigation, Unethical Industry Practices, and Corporate Capture of the Regulatory Environment
12:30-1:15
Lunch
1:15-2:30
Glyphosate Registration: Current Regulatory Challenges, and Future Opportunities and Pitfalls
2:30-2:45
Break
2:45-4:00
Glyphosate in the Public Eye: Minimizing Exposure, Communicating Risk and a Vision for the Future
4:00-5:00
Expert Statement and Next Steps
Funding
The symposium was funded by the Rohm & Haas Endowed Professorship in Public Health Sciences at the University of Washington School of Public Health.
Lead Organizer
Lianne Sheppard, PhD
Rohm & Haas Endowed Professor in Public Health Sciences
Professor, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
Professor, Department of Biostatistics
Local Organizing Committee
Anne Riederer, MS, MSFS, ScD
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
PhD Student, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
Lisa Van Cise Mathieson
Communications Director, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
Professor, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
External Organizing Committee
Cynthia Curl, PhD, MS
Associate Professor, Bosie State University
Tracey Woodruff, PhD, MPH
Professor, Stanford University
Kurt Straif, PhD
Research Professor, Boston College
Nathan Donley, PhD
Environmental Health Science Director, Biological Diversity
Philip J. Landrigan, MD, MSc
Professor, Boston College
Symposium Logistics
When
The Seattle Glyphosate Symposium was held in Seattle on March 25-26, 2026.
Where
The symposium was held at the University of Washington Hans Rosling Center for Population Health in Seattle, Washington. Attendees had the opportunity to join the symposium virtually with the Zoom link provided upon registration.
Media event
Members of the media were invited to a briefing following the 2-day symposium with local and international researchers gathering to discuss new findings and update the 2016 consensus statement: Concerns over use of glyphosate-based herbicides and their risks. See the news release linked at the top of this page.
When:
9:00am to 10:30am
Friday, March 27th
Questions
For event inquiries, please email seattleglyphosate@uw.eduOpen configuration options