Heparin FAQ’s
The Heparin Catastrophe has left thousands of people with questions. We have heard most of them we over and over, and have done our best to answer those we could. Many answers are still unknown. In those thousands of heparin conversations, we have been asked tens of thousands of questions. Below and the series of blogs to follow are our answers to the most frequently asked questions.
1. When did the Heparin contamination begin?
Baxter claims it started shipping contaminated Heparin on September 13, 2007, but we believe there is at least circumstances that make us believe that it may have started sooner. This September 13, 2007 start date means that any death or severe consequences occurred in the administration of heparin after that date, requires an investigation. Baxter claims to have tested all heparin shipped from China, even going back years and has alleged that the OSCS contaminant began on that date. But the conditions that allowed for this contaminant and didn’t properly test for it, leaves doubts as the purity of Heparin even before that date.
While at one time we felt fairly comfortable turning down cases that occurred before that time, we are no longer doing so just based on that September date. As additional disclosures have trickled in, we are seeing more and more evidence that clearly suggests some contaminated heparin was in the supply chain earlier in 2007, especially in hospital settings, such as in cardiac surgery. If you know of a death or severe consequence following heparin administration at any time in 2007, call us and we will investigate.
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
Regulator says hospitals need strict heparin rules
Date: 9/24/2008 12:02 AM
By LINDSEY TANNER
AP Medical Writer
CHICAGO (AP) _ A regulatory group told hospitals Wednesday to adopt strict measures to prevent errors involving blood thinners including heparin — mistakes that have been made nearly 60,000 times and led to dozens of deaths in recent years.
The Joint Commission issued a safety alert saying hospitals need to adopt prevention measures that could include bar-coding technology for medicines or computerized drug orders. It advised hospitals to more closely monitor patients on these drugs and make sure that adult-strength heparin is stored nowhere near children’s units.
The alert said 28 deaths are among 32 reports of drug errors involving blood thinners that it received between 1997 and last year.
“We know that there are many more (deaths) and … that’s the reason for issuing this alert,” said Dr. Mark Chassin, president of the Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.-based commission.
Recent errors include accidental life-threatening heparin overdoses given to actor Dennis Quaid’s newborn twins at a Los Angeles hospital last November. In July, 14 babies received accidental heparin overdoses at a hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Commission investigators will make unannounced visits to make sure hospitals are adopting strict measures to prevent blood thinner errors, and those who fail to do so could see their accreditation revoked, Chassin said.
The commission is a private group that sets hospital standards and accredits most of the nation’s hospitals. Accreditation brings prestige and federal dollars.
A total of 59,316 medication errors involving blood thinners were reported between 2001 and 2006 to a database run by U.S. Pharmacopeia, a group that sets drug standards, the alert said. Nearly 3 percent, or roughly 1,700, resulted in patient harm or death, the commission said.
Blood thinners are particularly tricky to use because too much can cause hard-to-control bleeding internally and from every body opening; too little can result in life-threatening blood clots, Chassin said.
Heparin is usually given intravenously. Warfarin, another blood thinner cited in the alert, is available in pills patients can take at home but can cause bad reactions when mixed with other medicines.
The recommendations “absolutely” will make a difference and hospitals will pay attention, said James Conway, senior vice president of the nonprofit Institute for Healthcare Improvement in Cambridge, Mass.
___
On the Net:
Commission: http://www.jointcommission.org
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
By LINDSEY TANNER
AP Medical Writer
CHICAGO (AP) _ A regulatory group told hospitals Wednesday to adopt strict measures to prevent errors involving blood thinners including heparin — mistakes that have been made nearly 60,000 times and led to dozens of deaths in recent years.
The Joint Commission issued a safety alert saying hospitals need to adopt prevention measures that could include bar-coding technology for medicines or computerized drug orders. It advised hospitals to more closely monitor patients on these drugs and make sure that adult-strength heparin is stored nowhere near children’s units.
The alert said 28 deaths are among 32 reports of drug errors involving blood thinners that it received between 1997 and last year.
“We know that there are many more (deaths) and … that’s the reason for issuing this alert,” said Dr. Mark Chassin, president of the Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.-based commission.
Recent errors include accidental life-threatening heparin overdoses given to actor Dennis Quaid’s newborn twins at a Los Angeles hospital last November. In July, 14 babies received accidental heparin overdoses at a hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Commission investigators will make unannounced visits to make sure hospitals are adopting strict measures to prevent blood thinner errors, and those who fail to do so could see their accreditation revoked, Chassin said.
The commission is a private group that sets hospital standards and accredits most of the nation’s hospitals. Accreditation brings prestige and federal dollars.
A total of 59,316 medication errors involving blood thinners were reported between 2001 and 2006 to a database run by U.S. Pharmacopeia, a group that sets drug standards, the alert said. Nearly 3 percent, or roughly 1,700, resulted in patient harm or death, the commission said.
Blood thinners are particularly tricky to use because too much can cause hard-to-control bleeding internally and from every body opening; too little can result in life-threatening blood clots, Chassin said.
Heparin is usually given intravenously. Warfarin, another blood thinner cited in the alert, is available in pills patients can take at home but can cause bad reactions when mixed with other medicines.
The recommendations “absolutely” will make a difference and hospitals will pay attention, said James Conway, senior vice president of the nonprofit Institute for Healthcare Improvement in Cambridge, Mass.
___
On the Net:
Commission: http://www.jointcommission.org
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney