Chinese Factory Linked to Drug Under Inquiry in U.S. (350 ill, 4 dead)

[UpInArms]

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON — A Chinese factory that has not been inspected by the Food and Drug Administration is the source for the active ingredient of a critical blood-thinning drug whose production was suspended this week after 350 patients reported ill effects from it.

At least four people died after being given the drug, heparin.

An F.D.A. spokeswoman, Heidi Robello, said Wednesday that the agency was making plans to inspect the Chinese factory as well as a finishing plant in New Jersey “as soon as possible.”

She said that “it was yet to be determined” if the Chinese plant was the source of the problem that led to the spike in reports of problems with the drug’s use.

Heparin is made from pig intestines. Ms. Robello said that she did not know whether the pigs used to produce the suspended product, made by Baxter International, came from China.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/business/worldbusiness/14heparin.html?ex=1360645200&en=b17a0afca1099c17&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

[salin]

1. Wait a second... bushco makes individuals getting meds from Canada illegal

because the meds may not be safe because they are not inspected on reentry to the US - BUT, our pharma companyies are manufacturing the meds in China - and the meds and where they are manufactured are NOT inspected... oh that's right - consumer and citizen safety isn't at issue - only the profits being as outlandishly high as possible for pharma is important - which both moves (preventing reimportation from Canada and manufacturing in China with no safety inspections) are geared to do.

[acmavm]

2. Insane, isn't it? And are we to believe that no facility here is capable of

manufacturing drugs? We can't do this for ourselves? We have to rely on criminals in another country known not to give a damn about safety and quality to do it for us? And then we have to pay the highest rate on the planet for the damn things?

As I said, insane.

[99th_Monkey]

4. Otherwise known as getting royally $crewed, both coming and going. nt

[salin]

5. of course it isn't about meds - its about profits

business models and ethics have been turned upside down.

[99th_Monkey]

3. Well said. BushCo = Profit$ fir$t! .. People? What people? Ther all dead or dying. nt

[salin]

6. I wish someone in Congress would take this up to hearings so it gets more press

they should focus on the inconsitencies of the ban on Canadian imports of meds - and the lack of oversight by the FDA on the manufacturing of those drugs.

Heck, Pharma can't use the "ship the jobs overseas so we can stay competitive" argument as a) they have been making record profits in recent years (iirc), and the ban on imports and similar laws/rules make it impossible for competition by foreign competitors that have "lower labor costs" - as we can't buy those meds because... our govt "can't guarantee the safety" of those products.

[99th_Monkey]

7. Yes, yes and yes.

It would be a great issue to jump on, because it has real and immediate resonance with anyone and everyone who
relies on prescription drugs for whatever ... getting good sleep, pain management, breathing, etc. .. which is LOTS of
us out here ... trying to make end$ meet from month to month.

Not to mention that the issue has great merit simply in its own right, regardless of electoral politics.

[salin]

8. while I think that is has become "conventional wisdom" among folks who

pay attention to political news (much as the lies per getting us to the war was only conventional wisdom among watchers for several years after the Downing Street Memos came out) it is not yet conventional wisdom across the populace that policy after policy of the Bushco goes to great lengths to help corps make greater profits, while hampering efforts to keep Americans safe. More of these stories, with hearings and thus at least some media coverage - is needed for this to become general public conventional wisdom - in much the same way that today the lying us into war idea is pretty much general public conventional wisdom.

[Sonicmedusa]

11. Thank you!

I SO recall Fuckhead saying that. I was seething.

[leftchick]

9. how about the US prohibit Chinese Manufacture of Medicines ??

sold in the US? now there is a concept! I wonder if either dem candidate would approach Big Pharma with that one?

:eyes:

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. No surprise that this all happened during the Bush Administration.

It was an accident waiting to happen with his lack of respect toward his regulatory responsibilities.