Heparin injury occurs to individuals who take heparin, a drug that is commonly used to treat blood-clotting issues. This medication, although effective as an anti-coagulant, can also be the reason for many health maladies. The drug can cause deadly allergic problems, infections, and even fatalities in patients in the United States and probably even in other countries.
Until recently, people in the U.S. did not really know about heparin or its adverse effects. However, the issue about heparin overdose was put into the limelight when the newborn twins of Kimberly Buffington and actor Dennis Quaid were injected with heparin doses that were 1,000 times more than required. And this overdose case actually occurred in one of the best hospitals in LA, the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. It was a good thing that the twins survived the fiasco.
But not all cases of heparin injury have had such endings. There are victims who suffer permanent damage to their health and some have even died. From the time this drug was introduced in the market back in the 1930’s, it seems that mislabeling and improper treatment have been common blunders linked to the administration of this drug. At present, however, health practitioners are also fighting with another problem with heparin, one that involves contamination.
Allergic reactions as well as other types of adverse effects from contamination of heparin, which is administered through injections, can be fatal to patients, particularly the elderly and children. A little over 12 months ago, two prominent cases of contaminated heparin were reported. The first one was due to the use of a syringe that was tainted with a perilous bacterium called Serratia marcescens. The second case, which claimed over 80 lives in the U.S., was due to a Chinese heparin producer who used an inexpensive variety of one of the major components of the drug.
Many will agree that heparin has helped countless of people deal with blood clotting issues. However, one cannot help but feel badly for individuals who have had to deal with heparin injury because of the carelessness of some health practitioners in using heparin. Well, the issue is not really heparin itself, but its contamination and misuse.
An ideal way to prevent further injuries caused by misuse of heparin is to compel the ones who are responsible to pay for the suffering of the victims. If you or someone you know experienced heparin injury, you should file a heparin lawsuit to press your rights.
Jim S. Adler & Associates can help. For more information call the law firm at 800-505-1414 or just visit www.JimAdler.com for a free case review.