Even more products linked to Baxter heparin recall
American Health Packaging, a distributor of health products, has announced a recall of 1,421 vials of heparin sodium injections. The company says that it is removing the products from the market as part of a heparin recall announced last month by Baxter International.
The Baxter heparin recall was issued after widespread reports of severe allergic reactions emerged concerning patients who were given the blood thinning drug. The symptoms of these heparin allergic reactions have included vomiting, problems breathing, increased heart rate and low blood pressure. So far, the Food and Drug Administration says that it has received reports of at least 785 cases of severe allergic reactions among heparin patients, including at least 19 deaths.
Subsequent research revealed that at least 20% of the active ingredient in the recalled product was a contaminant that had eluded normal testing methods. The FDA is currently trying to determine whether the contaminant could have been deliberately placed in the recalled heparin at the Chinese plant where it was manufactured.
The heparin vials involved in the American Health Packaging recall were sold to the company by Baxter and distributed to hospitals under the company’s own logo for use in pharmacy automation equipment. The company says that it has already notified the five hospitals to whom the vials were sold of the Baxter heparin recall earlier this month.