Even after strict FDA regulations and guidelines, every now and then a
medical drug or device enters the US
market that causes more harm than good to those who use them. One such recent
drug is the Heparin drug manufactured by Baxter Healthcare. Read on to know how
this drug can cause serious injury to you, and also all about the FDA advice
pertaining to the use of Baxter heparin.
About Heparin
Heparin is widely used as a blood thinner and is a critical
health care drug. Baxter is one of the leading makers of Heparin in the
US
and supplies as much as half of the drug used in the country.
The first reports of heparin adverse reactions reached FDA
in November of 2007. Since then, reports of hundreds of people suffering from
adverse reactions after using Baxter heparin have been received. Some patients
have also experienced heparin shock after administration of this drug, whereas
few have unfortunately lost their lives due to heparin usage.
China Heparin Recall
The potentially harmful batch of Baxter heparin is believed
to have been manufactured at a Chinese plant, which the FDA admits it did not
fully inspect. To safeguard people against the adverse reactions of heparin,
Baxter recalled this drug from the market.
The first recall was in the month of January 2008, which
involved the injectable heparin multi-dose vials. Any further production of
these drugs had been stopped prior to the recall. Subsequently, Baxter
Healthcare also announced on 28th February 2008 that it was going
ahead with the recall of the remaining heparin stock in the market. This heparin
recall involves:
- Injectable heparin multi-dose
- Single dose vials
- HEP-LOCK heparin flush products
Even though most of the reports about severe adverse
reactions to heparin have been related to the injectable heparin multi-dose
products, the company is recalling the above mentioned products as a
precautionary measure.
This heparin recall does not extend to other Baxter heparin
products such as the pre-mixed IV solutions in bags, the heparin sodium in 5 sodium chloride injection.
Although the company is doing whatever it can to ensure
that no further damage is caused due to their products, many people may have
already been administered the life threatening batch of china heparin. If you or
a loved one has already been administered the potentially harmful batch of china
heparin and have suffered adverse medical conditions due to this, you need to
contact our expert heparin lawyers immediately about possible compensation.
