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Feds ID Extra Drug in Baxter's Recalled Heparin

Posted Mar 19, 08 1:44 PM CDT in Science & Health 

(Newser) – The Food and Drug Administration has identified the extra ingredient found in samples of Baxter’s blood-thinning drug heparin, the Wall Street Journal reports today. Some batches of the drug—recalled in January after reports of allergic reactions—contained over-sulfated chondroitin sulfate, but it is not certain that was the cause of the hundreds of reactions or 19 deaths linked to Baxter’s product.

The samples of heparin and its active pharmaceutical ingredient found to contain the contaminant came from China, but it remains unclear whether it was added in an attempt to cut costs. "We cannot rule in or out whether this was accidentally or deliberately introduced into the product," said an FDA official, who added that the agency had started testing imported heparin.

Source Wall Street Journal

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Baxter International's headquarters are pictured in this undated file photo.   (Getty Images)
Some batches of the blood thinner heparin have been linked to hundreds of adverse reactions and 19 deaths.   (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
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China • FDA • pharmaceutical companies • Heparin • Baxter International • blood thinner • drug manufacturer • drug recall • allergic reaction • chondroitin sulfate


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