Legal Action Filed After Mysterious Health Complaints at Grenoble University Hospital
An employee files a complaint related to unexplained illnesses affecting staff at the hospital's biological research center.
An employee from the Institute of Biology and Pathology (IBP) at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) in Grenoble has filed a legal complaint alleging "administration of harmful substances, involuntary injuries, and endangerment of others with immediate risk of injury," as stated by their attorney, Me Hervé Gerbi.
This action comes in response to a series of health complaints reported by staff members at the IBP, which have persisted for several years without a clear explanation.
Symptoms related to these complaints have been recorded since June 2019. The IBP, a state-of-the-art facility inaugurated in 2011 that houses all the CHU’s laboratories, employs approximately 600 personnel but does not treat patients directly.
Reports of malaise began in June 2019, characterized by a variety of symptoms including irritations and dizziness, as noted by Vincent Bonneterre, head of the occupational health service.
The complaints have been somewhat random in nature, both in terms of symptoms' characteristics and their frequency and location.
Approximately 300 to 400 individual reports of symptoms have been documented across multiple waves, according to Bonneterre.
However, he emphasized that "reporting does not equate to actual malaise," estimating that the confirmed cases of illness within the workforce over this time frame number fewer than ten.
The ongoing situation has led nearly 70 employees to exercise their right to withdraw from work on April 1, 2025, citing the urgent need for action, as highlighted in a statement from their attorney.
The management of the CHU has acknowledged the complaint and plans to respond, as stated by Sébastien Vial, the hospital's Deputy General Director, during a press briefing.
Vial noted that this issue is "relatively old" and emphasized the CHU's commitment to addressing it.
Currently, just under 30 staff members are on sick leave, and the number of those exercising their right to withdraw has decreased to nine.
To address the issue, the CHU has undertaken a series of measures and invested approximately €950,000 to investigate, understand, and prevent these health phenomena.
Vial remarked that the wide variety of symptoms suggests a "multifactorial issue," complicating the diagnostic process.
An additional expert evaluation has been commissioned, with results anticipated in May. Vial acknowledged that the situation has created anxiety among employees.
This action comes in response to a series of health complaints reported by staff members at the IBP, which have persisted for several years without a clear explanation.
Symptoms related to these complaints have been recorded since June 2019. The IBP, a state-of-the-art facility inaugurated in 2011 that houses all the CHU’s laboratories, employs approximately 600 personnel but does not treat patients directly.
Reports of malaise began in June 2019, characterized by a variety of symptoms including irritations and dizziness, as noted by Vincent Bonneterre, head of the occupational health service.
The complaints have been somewhat random in nature, both in terms of symptoms' characteristics and their frequency and location.
Approximately 300 to 400 individual reports of symptoms have been documented across multiple waves, according to Bonneterre.
However, he emphasized that "reporting does not equate to actual malaise," estimating that the confirmed cases of illness within the workforce over this time frame number fewer than ten.
The ongoing situation has led nearly 70 employees to exercise their right to withdraw from work on April 1, 2025, citing the urgent need for action, as highlighted in a statement from their attorney.
The management of the CHU has acknowledged the complaint and plans to respond, as stated by Sébastien Vial, the hospital's Deputy General Director, during a press briefing.
Vial noted that this issue is "relatively old" and emphasized the CHU's commitment to addressing it.
Currently, just under 30 staff members are on sick leave, and the number of those exercising their right to withdraw has decreased to nine.
To address the issue, the CHU has undertaken a series of measures and invested approximately €950,000 to investigate, understand, and prevent these health phenomena.
Vial remarked that the wide variety of symptoms suggests a "multifactorial issue," complicating the diagnostic process.
An additional expert evaluation has been commissioned, with results anticipated in May. Vial acknowledged that the situation has created anxiety among employees.
