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Lawsuit Seeks $500M Over Ebola Gowns

Claims garments let diseases through.

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 this week alleges that the company knew for at least a year that its Microcool Breathable High Performance Surgical Gown had failed tests of impermeability to blood and microbes, but continued to claim the product provided the highest level of protection against diseases including Ebola. The suit, filed by Los Angeles surgeon Hrayr Shahinian, claims the gown had "catastrophic" failures and that Shahinian was potentially exposed to harm. Lead attorney Michael Avenatti said plaintiffs are aware of people who contracted "various" diseases wearing the gown, but declined to be more specific. Kimberly-Clark said only that it stands behind its products.