Reuters AlertNet Full site
Homepage | Newsdesk | NGO Latest | Crisis briefings | Country profiles | MediaWatch | Jobs | Alerting | Login

NEWSDESK

US FDA: Data links contaminant to heparin problems
21 Apr 2008 20:07:27 GMT
 Source: Reuters
WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Monday new data shows a contaminant found in some batches of heparin is likely behind hundreds of allergic reactions and scores of deaths reported in patients given the blood thinner.

"We have data in vitro, in test tube ... as well as animal data that shows that this contaminant can trigger events that would lead to these type of reactions. That doesn't tell us everything or the whole story but it establishes a link," Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, told reporters by telephone.

Woodcock also said the contamination has become a worldwide issue, with tests from 10 other countries also finding a single contaminant -- over-sulfated chondroitin sulfate.

Earlier on Monday, Chinese health officials said they had concluded the contaminant was not to blame. They said they planned to visit the New Jersey plant of Baxter International Inc <BAX.N>, which in February recalled most of its heparin products, made with ingredients from China. (Reporting by Susan Heavey and Lisa Richwine; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)


AlertNet news is provided by
Email this article       Send comments

NGO latest

•  Keep it green: Re-building after disaster is a chance to 'build it right'
CWS

•  Heavy Snowfall Buries China; ADRA Responds
ADRA - International

•  ADRA SHOWCASES SUCCESS STORY AT UNITED NATIONS
ADRA - International

•  News feature: CWS, other NGOs expanding 'Sphere' of influence -- of quality in disaster response
CWS

•  Mercy Corps Calls for Greater Response to Dire Humanitarian Situation in Iraq
Mercy Corps

MORE >>

Latest news

•  US FDA: Data links contaminant to heparin problems

•  Fewer general surgeons in U.S. - researchers

•  Melanoma on scalp, neck most deadly, study finds

•  US safety inspector to start role in China

•  Kosovo Serbs must take part in Serb poll-Tadic

MORE >>

AlertNet news is provided by

Related articles

Breaking stories
US FDA: Data links contaminant to heparin problems (1 minute ago)

Fewer general surgeons in U.S. - researchers (1 minute ago)

AlertNet insight
MEDIAWATCH: India joins Africa's suitors (1 minute ago)

Aid agency news feed
Keep it green: Re-building after disaster is a chance to 'build it right' (1 minute ago)

Blogs
Post-Katrina New Orleans takes the good with the bad (1 minute ago)

Maps
Typhoon Neoguri (1 minute ago)


Country information

Facts & figures
United States of America China

Del.icio.us Del.icio.us  |   Digg Digg  |   NewsVine NewsVine  |   Reddit Reddit   
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-04-21T113523Z_01_ROSM01_RTRIDSP_2_TURKEY_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/ROSM01.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-04-21T113437Z_01_ROSM02_RTRIDSP_2_TURKEY_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/ROSM02.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-04-20T154126Z_01_TOB04_RTRIDSP_2_GERMANY_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/TOB04.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-04-20T124427Z_01_TOB01_RTRIDSP_2_GERMANY_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/TOB01.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-04-20T075810Z_01_PEK13_RTRIDSP_2_OLYMPICS-TIBET_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/PEK13.htm

Uighur Muslim demonstrators wave Turkish and eastern Turkestan flags during a protest in front of the Chinese general consulate in Istanbul April 21, 2008. The protesters accuse China of oppressing Turkic-speaking ...


More pictures | Galleries
Disclaimers |  Copyright |  Privacy |  Contact Us |  Feedback |  About Us |  RSS XML

Last updated:Mon Apr 21 20:05:25 2008