Is Your Medical Information Being Shared with Facebook?

We’re starting off our latest issue with an investigation that affects patients across the country. Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are looking into whether certain hospitals’ websites are illegally sharing patient information – including information on prescriptions and medical conditions – with Facebook. More on this can be found below.

Then, we’ll touch on a few ongoing cases filed over the way certain food products are being advertised. First up, the authenticity of Barilla products is being called into question as a lawsuit alleges the pasta isn’t actually made in Italy.

From there, Nestlé is being sued over the marketing behind its Gerber Good Start toddler formula, and Ancient Organics is coming under fire for advertising its ghee as a healthy “superfood” when it contains a considerable amount of saturated fat. The latest settlements are also included down below, so keep reading for everything you need to know.

- Ty Armstrong, Writer/Community Manager

Patient Data Sharing: Hospital Privacy Investigation

Attorneys working with ClassAction.org have opened a new investigation in light of claims that some of the country’s top hospitals are sharing patient data with Facebook. Specifically, it has been reported that some hospitals have a Facebook pixel embedded on their websites and that this code is allowing sensitive medical data – for instance, prescription information and appointment details – to be transmitted to the social media giant. This could be a potential violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and may call for class action lawsuits to be filed. To help with their investigation, attorneys specifically need to speak with those who booked an appointment through or had online portal access with an affected hospital’s website. To view the list of hospitals under investigation and share your story, head on over to this page.

In recent years, authenticity has become a major selling point for food manufacturers – especially when it comes to Italian food. One shining example is “Italy’s #1 Brand of Pasta,” Barilla. The pasta brand tries to make its products appear as authentic as possible, but a proposed class action is claiming the company’s marketing is misleading in that the pasta is actually made in the United States. Even the pasta’s main ingredient – durum wheat – is sourced from countries other than Italy, the case says. The lawsuit contends that consumers are willing to pay a premium for food products that “sound” or “look” Italian and that Barilla customers have been duped by product packaging into overpaying for pasta that was made in Iowa and New York. You can read up on the details of the case and see a list of affected products right here. 

Class Action Settlements:
Can You File a Claim?

Our settlements page is always being updated. Have you checked to see if you're covered by any open settlements? You can also check out the latest settlements as they happen by following us on Twitter.

To view a complete list of settlements and to find out how you can file a claim, click here.