FDA finds contaminant in suspect blood-thinner (CNN)

[eppur_se_muova]

(CNN) -- U.S. health officials said Wednesday they have found a contaminant in a blood-thinning drug produced by Baxter Healthcare Corp. that has been linked to more than a dozen deaths in the United States.
***
The scrutiny began after a spike in reports of health problems associated with heparin, a drug made by Baxter from pig intestines at plants in China and Wisconsin.

Though the cause of the problems has not been determined, FDA investigators found "a heparin-like compound -- that is not heparin -- present in some of the active pharmaceutical ingredients" in both facilities, said Dr. Janet Woodcock, acting director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

The contaminant, which made up 5 percent to 20 percent of each sample tested, "reacts like heparin in some of the conventional tests used for heparin," which explains why it was not picked up, she told reporters in a conference call.
***
She added that it was not clear whether the contaminant was added accidentally, as part of the processing or deliberately.
***
more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/03/05/heparin.contaminant/index.html

[Warpy]

1. My guess is that it was a way to thin the heparin

which is still fairly expensive to manufacture, so that nobody would know the difference.

Well, nobody who didn't have a sensitivity to the contaminant.

[madrchsod]

2. is`t that nice.....another deadly product from china

but look on the bright side --it`s cheaper to make it there than here!

[shraby]

3. I find it extremely ironic in light of the fact that

old people couldn't by their drugs from Canada and actually had them confiscated because they might not be "pure".

[kestrel91316]

4. Where did this "heparin" come from? CHINA?????

Seriously, they need to follow the money. If the heparin was tainted, they should NOT assume it was accidental. It's too profitable to cheat in manufacturing.

[Mika]

5. Oh NO! The rat poison is contaminated!

A pathologist has uncovered evidence that 'shaken baby' Alan Yurko was killed by medical staff who massively overdosed the infant with the drug Heparin, only hours before he died. His father by the same name is imprisoned in Florida for shaking him causing hemorrhage and death. Heparin is a blood anti-coagulant very similar to Warfarin --a poison which kills rats by internal hemorrhaging.
http://www.sickofdoctors.addr.com/articles/yurko.htm

=

WARFARIN AND CHINESE MEDICINE
http://www.itmonline.org/arts/warfarin.htm

=

December 20, 2007
Nationwide Recall of Pre-Filled Heparin Lock Flush Solution USP (5 mL in 12 mL Syringes)
http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/am2pat12_07.html

[Celebration]

6. Wow, gosh

And all this time I thought the Chinese only disliked American cats and dogs!!

:sarcasm: