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FDA Investigates Two Deaths in Connection with Blood Thinner Heparin

On Monday the FDA reported that they are investigating the relationship between heparin, a blood thinning agent, and the death of two Delaware hospital patients.  The two deaths occured shortly after the patients at Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, Deleware were given the drug last week.  These two patients and one other, who remains in critical condition, suffered adverse reactions to the heparin which included cerebral hemorrhaging. 

The batch of heparin that the hospital in Lewes was using was provided by Baxter Healthcare Corp. in Deerfield, IL.  Baxter was also involved in last years recall of heparin after several patients had reports of adverse reactions occuring after using the drug.  Baxter has commented on this and said that the premixed bags of heparin that were used at Beebe Medical Center are not part of last years recalled supply which contained a contaminated product from China.  The active ingredient in the product was supplied by Pfizer and the finished product was from a Baxter facility in Puerto Rico to the Baxter facility in Deerfield, IL.  Baxter commented on the situation by saying that they are looking into the problem on their end but that "its premature to speculate on the relationship, if any, between the reactions and our product".

The FDA picked up the remaining batch of intravenous bags up from the Deleware hospital on Friday and they were tested at a facility in Queens, New York over the weekend.  The initial testing did not reveal any problems with the samples of the heparin, but the samples have been shipped to another facility in Cincinnati to conduct further testing. 

If you have been injured by heparin or have suffered a life threatening reaction to a recalled product please do not hesitate to contact Frank J. Dito, Staten Island personal injury lawyer.