E v Australian Red Cross Society

(1991) 2 Med LR 303

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, GENERAL DIVISION

and Mr Justice WILCOX

Product liability — Blood product — HIV infected plasma — Supply of infected blood product to applicant patient by hospital — Product supplied to hospital by second respondent New South Wales Division of first respondent Australian Red Cross Society — Claim by patient under Commonwealth Trade Practices Act 1974 and in negligence — Whether each respondent a “trading corporation” — Whether hospital an emanation of Crown — Whether implied representations made to patient — Whether blood supplied “in trade or commerce” — Whether claims time barred — Whether notice signed by blood donor defective — Whether failure to adopt earlier surrogate testing of blood constituted negligence — Commonwealth Trade Practices Act 1974, sections 4, 4B, 52, 55A, 71, 74, 82