In the News: World Thinner Deaths

FDA Links More Deaths to Blood Thinner
FDA Triples Count of Death Reports Linked to Tainted Blood Thinner Heparin
WASHINGTON Apr 8, 2008 (AP)

The Food and Drug Administration has tripled the number of deaths it attributes to side effects of the blood thinner heparin, which triggered a massive recall earlier this year.

Hospitals explore other options for blood-thinning drugs after recall.The agency has been investigating contamination of heparin made by the manufacturer Baxter International Inc., which it linked to 19 deaths and hundreds of allergic reactions.

After reviewing adverse events back to January 2007, FDA said Tuesday it uncovered 103 reports of patients who died while taking heparin.

Of those deaths, 62 involved allergic reactions or hypotension, a type of dangerously low blood pressure. Those are the same side effects that caused Baxter's to pull all U.S. heparin injections from the market by February.

The agency's month-by-month figures include deaths of patients taking heparin made by various manufacturers, not just Baxter's.

FDA received 55 reports of death with the blood thinner in 2006, but only three were due to allergic reactions.