Families of Heparin Victims Tell Their Stories

Scott Kappes

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Yesterday the families of some of those who lost lives after being treated with a contaminated blood thinner, Heparin, told their stories to a House committee. The congressional panel listened to the tearful and sometimes angry testimony as family members expressed their discontent for manufacturers and regulators. The panel also heard testimony from manufacturers and industry regulators, but was disappointed with their inability to stop the contaminated Heparin from reaching the US market.

One man, Leroy Hubley of Toledo, Ohio, lost his wife Bonnie and his son Randy, within weeks of each other. They both had an inherited kidney disease and had undergone kidney dialysis at an Ohio clinic and received heparin from a batch made by Baxter International.

Contaminated Heparin has been linked to 81 deaths according to the FDA. Although it is not yet clear exactly how batches of Heparin were contaminated but the current hypothesis is that the contamination was intentional.

The authentic ingredient in raw heparin is made from the lining of pig intestines and costs about 900 dollars a pound, said a congressional investigator, whereas the contaminant, oversulfated chondroitin sulfate, is made from animal cartilage and costs 9 dollars a pound.

Experts suspect that the astronomical difference between the prices of the two similar products enticed someone in the supply chain to substitute one for the other in the interest of profit. This is not really that surprising to me. We have seen pharmaceutical companies engage in deceptive practices and questionable tactics all in the name of profit. I don’t know why we would think that the ethics of the industry have changed.