The Heparin Disaster: December 2009

The Heparin Disaster

A running commentary on the contaminated heparin disaster caused by Baxter Healthcare's distribution of contaminated heparin from Scientific Protein Lab's API, and the deaths and injuries resulting therefrom.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Hope for the Holidays

As the holiday season quickly approaches, we remember the victims of the heparin tragedy that occurred almost two years ago this winter. In a season that is supposed to be filled with joy and peace, many of our clients still struggle with the emptiness left from the loss of their loved one, as well as frustration from Baxter’s ongoing refusal to acknowledge and take responsibility for the harm it caused these families.

However, the holiday season is one that is filled with hope. While taking on a powerful billion dollar drug company is not an easy or quick task, there is an amazing team of attorneys, doctors, scientists and other victim advocates, who are working every day to expose Baxter’s lies and to hold it accountable for its decision to put corporate profits over people’s lives. We will not waiver or tire in our quest for truth and justice for the hundreds who lost their lives. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice.”

As our important fight continues, we wish all of the families hope, strength and perseverance this holiday season.

Labels: Baxter, Baxter Heparin, contaminated heparin, contamination, Heparin, heparin attorney, Heparin Class Action, heparin disaster, heparin lawyer; heparin safety, OSCS, Scientific Protein Labs, SPL

posted by Pamela A. Borgess # 11:21 AM 0 Comments

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Heparin Cases continue to be Filed

As the two year anniversary of the discovery of the Heparin Disaster approaches more and more cases are being filed. At this point it appears that there will most likely be 700 - 1000 cases filed on behalf of those who literally lost life and limb as a result of the failure of Baxter Health Care to understand the product it was selling.

Many clients and other lawyers are interested in understanding what a typical case looks like.

1. Method of Administration. About 90% of the cases involve Intravenous administration of the heparin, while the other 10% of victims received their heparin subcutaneously. Typically a subcutaneous injection will, understandably, not involve as sudden or initally severe reaction as the reaction from a bolus intravenous dose, but the results can be just as fatal.

2. Purpose of Administration. About 85-90% of affected patients received heparin for preventive, or prophylactic, purposes, while therapuetic purposes accounted for 10-15% of the injuries. These can be further broken down to Dialysis patients (70-75%) and cardiac patients (10-15%).

3. Type of Injury. About 80% of the injuries involve Contact / Complement Anaphylactoid-type Reaction constellation of symptoms. These include the following:
i. Hypotension (drop in blood pressure)
ii. Diarrhea
iii. Nausea
iv. Vomiting

Another 15% involve Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT).

5% of the cases are so called "Supra-additive Effect" cases, involving bleed out cases or other coagulation issues.

4. Degree of harm. Death is the injury in 75% of the cases. Of those not involving death, most are Serious Permanent Injury (mostly HIT) (15%).

5. Time Frame. The large majority of cases occurred after September 15, 2007 and prior to April 15, 2008.

If you believe a client or loved one died during this time frame from symptoms described here, while undergoing dialysis or cardiac surgery, you should immediately seek skilled review of the medical file. You can reach us during regular hours toll free at 888-841-9623. Or you can email me at david@toledolaw.com or our heparin paralegal Serenity at serenity@toledolaw.com.

Labels: contaminated heparin, Heparin, heparin attorney, heparin injury, heparin lawsuit, heparin lawyer

posted by David W. Zoll # 8:14 PM 0 Comments

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