Medical records released in long-running Tiger Brands listeriosis court battle

Some victims of the 2017 listeriosis outbreak class action against Tiger Brands asked the court to order the release of medical records so that the case could move forward. The Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg has ordered the release of confidential medical records to the legal team in thelisteriosis class action following the outbreak linked to Tiger Brands Enterprise Foods facility in Polokwane in2017. The Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg has ordered the release of confidential medical records to the legal team in the listeriosis class action following the outbreak linked to Tiger Brands Enterprise Foods facility in Polokwane in The outbreak resulted in the loss of about 218 lives, including babies.

The class action, headed by prominent lawyer Richard Spoor against Tiger Brands, has been lingering for several years, with Tiger Brands presenting settlement offers to some of the affected claimants. In the latest chapter of the legal proceedings involving hundreds of people who claimed they fell ill or lost loved ones due to contaminated food, 16 claimants turned to court in a bid to obtain medical records linked to the case. The application was aimed against the National Health Laboratory Service, the Minister of Health, and Tiger Brands-related entities.Theclass actionwas certified in 2018, but the trial has not yet got off the ground.

The application was aimed against the National Health Laboratory Service, the Minister of Health, and Tiger Brands-related entities. Theclass actionwas certified in 2018, but the trial has not yet got off the ground. In the latest development, Judge Stuart Wilson was asked to release the medical information of some of the victims in terms of section 14 (2) (b) of the National Health Act.That provision permits a court to order the disclosure of confidential medical information concerning a “user” of healthcare services to any other person, on appropriate terms and conditions. In the latest development, Judge Stuart Wilson was asked to release the medical information of some of the victims in terms of section 14 (2) (b) of the National Health Act.