Santa Barbara, CA"My mum was hospitalized on several occasions and I know she was given Heparin every time," says Antoinette. "According to her physician, Heparin was also given to her so she wouldn't get blood clots during dialysis."
Although Antoinette's mum had kidney failure, she was doing OK with the dialysis. "She would be given Heparin by a drip IV during dialysis and it was also injected into her catheter," says Antoinette. "She was on dialysis for a few years and there was no indication that she was ill.
But I believe this drug did more damage to her than it did good. My mum seemed to go downhill almost overnight. She was very pale and her skin was yellow. Then she was so weak and suffered terrible bouts of diarrhea that lasted for weeks; her problems were ongoing until she passed away.
My mum was only 58 when she died: November 29, 2006. Even though she may not have died from Heparin contamination, I believe it caused all her other health problems. She was waiting for a liver transplant but she was taken off the list in 2005 because her blood was too thin.
I have tons of medical records that say she was given Heparin and how much she was given, from three different hospitals. When I found out about the recall, I asked the doctor why she would still be put on Heparin. He told me it was a requirement during dialysis. Nothing more was said.
Unless they can make it a safer drug, Baxter shouldn't put this drug on the market because it has such a high potential for death. It isn't fair that we lost our mother out of negligence."
In February 2008, Baxter, The Deerfield-based medical-products giant, received reports of adverse events associated with its blood thinner Heparin and initiated a voluntary recall of nine lots of Heparin Sodium Injection Multi-Dose Vials. After receiving additional reports of similar adverse reactions from other lots of their Heparin Sodium Injection Products, Baxter recalled their remaining multi-dose and single-dose vials, as well as HEP-LOCK Heparin Flush Products.
The FDA has said Baxter's supply may have been intentionally contaminated with an animal-like substance known as oversulfated chondroitin sulfate, which was added to increase certain suppliers' profits. The heparin-like foreign substance entered the Baxter supply chain, which included a plant in China owned by Wisconsin-based Scientific Protein Laboratories, the major supplier of heparin's active ingredient.
In 2007, Heparin generated about $30 million of Baxter's more than $11 billion in annual sales. Baxter's Heparin was used by millions of people to prevent blood clots during kidney dialysis and such other procedures as heart surgery.
In May 2008, Robert Parkinson, Baxter's Chairman and Chief Executive told shareholders the company has yet to experience significant legal costs tied to its recalled blood thinner Heparin.
Meanwhile, lawsuits against Baxter are increasing as more people realize their loved ones may have died needlessly from this drug. Since January 1, 2007 Heparin has been linked to more than 1,000 adverse events, including 400 life-threatening incidents and more than 80 reported deaths.