CDC Report Confirms Heparin Injuries Caused by Synthetic Chemical Contamination
A report titled Outbreak of Adverse Reactions Associated with Contaminated Heparin issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the worst fears of the public – that Heparin injuries and deaths were caused by a synthetic chemical that was added to the drug at a Chinese plant.
According to a followup article published in the Washington Post, the CDC has found strong evidence linking the chemical oversulfated chondroitin sulphate and the symptoms that patients who had been given Heparin, Baxter's blood thinner began to suffer in November last year. Allergic reactions to the product included nausea, breathing difficulties and a rapid drop in blood reassure. In the United States alone, 81 people are confirmed to have died from the contaminated Heparin, and there have been hundreds of reactions to the medical product. There are fears that more side effects could lie potentially hidden in a patient's system, to erupt later in unrecognizable forms.
Oversulfated chondroitin sulphate is a processed form of chondroitin sulphate, an animal sourced product that is used in arthritis medications. Chondroitin sulphate is much cheaper to produce, and it's believed that this is why the Chinese producers added it to the drug to replicate the blood thinning properties of the original ingredient. The recalled contaminated heparin continued to sit on shelves in hospitals in many states even after a recall was announced in early 2008, and it's entirely possible that there may be more injuries resulting from the contamination that are still under the radar. It's not easy to connect a contaminated drug to symptoms, and for months the FDA was unaware that the allergic reactions that patients were suffering were due to any contaminant in the Heparin.
Baxter's failure to maintain quality control at its Chinese supply plant, combined with the FDA's inadequate inspection procedures ensured that hundreds of people suffered violent reactions to the drug before experts were able to point to the source. An increasing dependence on foreign drug suppliers whose facilities are rarely put through FDA inspections has meant that Americans can hardly use a medication without worrying if it's going to cause extreme reactions or in worst case scenarios, even death. The FDA has had a particularly worrisome couple of years with numerous tainted drugs entering the market, many of them manufactured at overseas plants. It doesn't help that the agency barely has enough resources to inspect facilities at home, let alone plants that are located thousands of miles away.
Heparin Injury Numbers Continue to Rise
Contaminated Heparin has caused serious injuries in patients that may have long term implications, including organ damage, low blood pressure, and even death. There may be other little known effects that manifest themselves weeks and months after the administration of the drug. Across the country, dozens of patients have filed medical injury lawsuits against Baxter to protect their rights and obtain compensation for their suffering.
Pursuing claims for damages against large pharmaceutical companies like Baxter can be a complex and expensive process. Victims benefit from the expertise of a specialized pharmaceutical liability lawyer who has both the experience and the resources to pursue the claim.
If you've suffered adverse reactions to Heparin or another dangerous pharmaceutical drug, contact a medical injury lawyer at Arnold & Itkin LLP for a free evaluation of your case. Our lawyers handle most cases on a contingency basis so there is no fee unless we prevail on your behalf.
