FDA: 100 deaths tied to heparin since 2007

AP ^ | 08 Apr 2008 | AP

[BGHater]

62 deaths linked to contaminated batches of the blood thinner, agency says

WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday said more than 100 patients have died while taking the blood thinner heparin since early 2007.

The agency found that 62 deaths are associated with contaminated batches of the blood thinner, triple the previous estimate. That doesn't mean people are still dying — the latest deaths the FDA knows of occurred in February, the month Baxter International recalled contaminated batches.

But dozens of deaths weren't reported to the agency when they happened, only later after the tainted blood thinner made headlines.

On Tuesday, the FDA posted a month-by-month mortality count on its Web site, showing a sudden jump in allergic-style fatal reactions actually began last November — possibly signaling the time when the contamination began.

The FDA's investigation found a compound derived from animal cartilage sneaked into supplies of raw heparin coming from China. Although scientists haven't yet proved the compound triggered the reactions, it is the chief suspect.

Until now, the FDA has linked the contamination to 19 deaths from allergic-style reactions. Patients who receive heparin often are so sick that it's impossible to prove the cause of death, however, and Baxter has put the death toll at four.

Tuesday's report shows the FDA has learned of 103 deaths among heparin patients since January 2007, 62 of them associated with allergic-style symptoms. The report includes deaths among users of all brands of heparin, not just Baxter's.

[Calpernia]

http://freerepublic.info/focus/f-news/1970672/posts

>>>Yesterday, both Baxter and the FDA said it wasn't clear that the ingredient from the Chinese supplier was tied to the bad reactions. “We honestly don't know” the cause, an FDA spokeswoman said.>>>

I find this odd. My husband (doctor) and his colleagues all say it is rat poisoning. ::shrugs::

[donna]

China is doing test runs against out population. They want our land.

[Colorado Doug]

Why did I already know that China would be the source?

Why, why why do we give the Communist b@astards most favored trade?

Never mind their military buildup. How many must die now from their products? Our government has been bought and paid for by the free traitors and China.

[Calpernia]

I guess this is the only time we will see this statement:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1985975/posts?page=6#6

"Contaminated products from China have been an ongoing worry for the FDA. If the heparin contamination turns out to be deliberate, it would be reminiscent of last year's scandal when a Chinese company was charged with adding the toxic chemical melamine to an ingredient used in U.S. pet food that killed thousands of dogs and cats. The melamine let the ingredient pass chemical inspections for protein content, the Associated Press reported."

[Calpernia]

I agree.

[Colorado Doug]

I find this odd. My husband (doctor) and his colleagues all say it is rat poisoning. ::shrugs::

Actually, it's Coumiden, aka Warferin that is the rat poison. Although Chinese heparin might as well be rat poison.

[Calpernia]

Thanks

[MarineBrat]

I give Warfarin Sodium to the ground squirrels out in my pasture. And I even take it myself. :)

[arderkrag]

I must be getting tired...I could've sword it said 100 deaths tied to hairpins...

Anyway, this 100 deaths thing, what percentage of users is that? Is it a large enough composite to be conclusive?

[television is just wrong]

I got news for you we have a hell of a lot more enemies abroad than China. We have a hell of a lot of enemies domestically too.

[cherry]

does it take care of the squirrels?....I hate those little buggers..... I saw one actually go in my bluebird house.....later, we found a mangled dead blue bird....ugh!

[Red Badger]

Warfarin, and anti-coagulant, is rat poison (its original purpose)...................

[Red Badger]

Do your squirrels have heart disease?...........

[CDHart]

Thanks for the post. A woman I work with is going to the doctor today to be taught how to do heparin shots at home to hopefully prevent a miscarriage. I gave her a copy of the article to discuss with her doctor.

carolyn

[MarineBrat]

does it take care of the squirrels?....I hate those little buggers..... I saw one actually go in my bluebird house.....later, we found a mangled dead blue bird....ugh!

The product I have been using is called "Tomcat Ground Squirrel Bait."  Now that I've looked it up for the purpose of telling you about it, I see that the active ingredient is not Warfarin Sodium like I suggested it was.  Instead, it's using diphacinone, (an anti-coagulant like Warfarin Sodium) and it may be only available in California, at least according to this web page.  Tomcat is a pellet that is simply broadcast on the ground in the area where there's ground squirrel activity.  It's not attractive to dogs as far as I can tell.  It reminds me of gerbil food.

It has worked well for me.  I haven't seen a ground squirrel out in my pasture for the last couple of weeks.  But my neighbors have them bad, so it's a small victory in a larger war.  I'm adjacent to a 17 acre alfalfa field and >20 acres of plum orchards.  The trick is, with anti-coagulants, is that there must be a continuous supply for the rodents to eat over a period of time, usually a week.

Many of the ranchers around here build a feeder out of 3 inch PVC pipe.  You make an upside down "T" shaped pipe, fill the vertical tube with bait, and then cap off the vertical portion.  The horizontal portion is just the right size for ground squirrels to get into, but larger predators can't get in.  I think those use a Warfarin Sodium laced grain which is also attractive to dogs, etc., so the bait station must be staked down well to keep other animals from tipping it or dragging it off.  I think you have to get that bait through the county because it's attractive to other species of animal.

This picture is from here, with some other info available.  The PVC station depicted in the photo above shows a 4" diameter pipe, but everyone around here uses a 3". They also tend to make the vertical portion taller, which means more room for more bait, and less time spent doing refills.

[MarineBrat]

Do your squirrels have heart disease?

No, they had a blood clot in their leg that almost killed them. Then the blood tests showed that they had a genetic "mutation" where their liver was more efficient at converting vitamin K into coagulants than the average perso....er, squirrel. So their doctor suggested they take Coumadin as a precaution.

[Red Badger]

Be careful you don’t give them too much warafarin..er, coumadin, or you’ll kill them.........

[MarineBrat]

Be careful you don’t give them too much warafarin..er, coumadin, or you’ll kill them

It took their doctors a while to dial it in. It's a long process of about 8 days laying there at the vet to ween off the Heparin and onto the Coumadin. They, that is, the squirrels of course, take 10MG/day and have their blood tested monthly to insure that they're maintaining the proper protime.

[Red Badger]

My sister had a huge blood clot in her leg when she was 20. It took her nearly a year to fully heal safely. I hope you, er, your squirrels are safely over the “hump”.............

[MarineBrat]

Thanks! It’s been about two years now, and things seem to be fine. In fact, they just did a followup ultrasound on that leg a couple of weeks ago and it was all clear.

[JACKRUSSELL]

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