LOS ANGELES — A $500 million lawsuit against Kimberly-Clark Corp. alleges the company falsely claimed its surgical gowns protected against Ebola and other infectious diseases.
The suit, filed Wednesday in federal court, alleges that the multinational company knew for at least a year that its Microcool Breathable High Performance Surgical Gown had failed industry tests of impermeability to blood and microbes, but it continued to claim the product provided the highest level of protection against diseases including Ebola.
Many of the gowns tested had “catastrophic” failures, according to the lawsuit, which called Kimberly-Clark’s actions “utterly reprehensible.”
“We are aware of individuals that have contracted various diseases while wearing the gown, but we are not at liberty to disclose what those are at the present time,” said Michael Avenatti, the lead attorney in the case.
Avenatti said the Texas hospital where two nurses contracted Ebola once stocked the gowns, but he didn’t know whether those workers or an infected nursing assistant in Spain had worn them.
Kimberly-Clark said in a statement that it does not comment regarding ongoing litigation but the company stands behind the safety and efficacy of its products.
