IC Tagged Articles

Two sentenced for role in tainted heparin, saline syringes

Posted: February 25, 2009 Pharmaceutical

In an effort to ship heparin- and saline-filled syringes faster, workers at a facility in North Carolina failed to check sterility and then falsified manufacturing dates to make it appear those safeguards were followed, according to an Associated Press report.

Baxter named in contaminated saline syringe lawsuit

Posted: February 23, 2009 Pharmaceutical

Pharmaceutical giant Baxter International faces yet another lawsuit, this time for playing a role in the distribution of a contaminated saline syringe that was used on a woman who afterward suffered serious medical problems that may have led to her

Scientists propose new testing standards for heparin

Posted: February 6, 2009 Pharmaceutical

Scientists are proposing new standards for testing the quality and safety of heparin with new equipment that can analyze a broader range of impurities than the screening tools currently in use, according to the Daily Herald. The proposal stems from

Heparin producer's insurers file lawsuit

Posted: February 2, 2009 Pharmaceutical

The insurance companies for Scientific Protein Laboratories’ parent company, American Capital Ltd., are suing to nullify the policies with the laboratory, according to The Daily Record. The Wisconsin-based company entered a joint venture with Baxter International Inc. to produce heparin

Czech 'heparin murderer' gets life in prison

Posted: January 27, 2009 Pharmaceutical

Petr Zelenka liked the excitement around crisis situations and the constant activity of hospital staff, which is why he pursued a position at an anaesthesiological-resuscitation ward at Havlickuv Brod hospital in the Czech Republic. To further his excitement, he administered

Lawmakers call for rule requiring drugs be made in U.S.

Posted: January 23, 2009 Pharmaceutical

Lawmakers’ concern over the U.S. becoming too reliant on foreign countries to produce drugs are calling for a rule to require certain drugs to be made or stockpiled in the U.S., according to the New York Times. The Times quotes

FDA opens offices in India to help oversee drug importation

Posted: January 22, 2009 Pharmaceutical

In an ongoing effort to ensure the safety of foods and drugs imported to the United States, the FDA is opening offices in foreign countries to oversee quality control of those products. The agency announced this week that it has

Torti named interim commissioner of FDA

Posted: January 20, 2009 Pharmaceutical

FDA chief scientist and principal deputy commissioner Dr. Frank Torti will serve as the agency’s acting commissioner when Dr. Anderew Von Eschenbach leaves office this week, a position he will hold until the Obama administration appoints a new leader and

Lawmaker opens investigation into 'software glitches' at VA

Posted: January 19, 2009 Pharmaceutical

Software “glitches” that lead to medical mishaps and prolonged infusions of drugs such as heparin administered to patients at Veterans Affairs hospitals throughout the U.S., which was reported by the Associated Press earlier this week, have raised concerns from the

CDC study provides details on OSCS-laced heparin

Posted: January 18, 2009 Pharmaceutical

The New England Journal of Medicine reported that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in a study titled “Outbreak of Adverse Reactions Associated with Contaminated Heparin,” has confirmed the cause of serious adverse reactions in late 2007 were