I have a port in my chest. My veins do not work anymore. They cannot get blood out to do lab work nor can they put IVs in to deliver mediation to my body. I have had a port in for over 3 years now. When you have a port - you must have it accessed and heparin put in it every month. Anytime they draw blood or put in IVs they also have to put heparin in it. So you can see my concern with the contamination of the heparin supply over the last several months.
I have been following the news of the heparin contamination very closely. Today, The New York Times published an article titled "Heparin Contamination May Have Been Deliberate, F.D.A Says." This news really concerns me on a personal level. Why would anyone be so cruel as to randomly choose people to kill. Yes, there have been 81 reported deaths associated with the contaminated heparin. I wonder just how many have not been reported.
According to this New York Times article, "A Congressional investigator told the House panel that had the Food and Drug Administration inspected the Chinese plant that manufactured the active ingredient for the heparin, the contamination likely could have been averted."
Another thing that concerns me is that while the number of drugs imported has doubled since 2000, the number of FDA inspectors has declined by 35 percent. Why are we importing so much of our medicines from China? Why are we importing medications from other countries at all? Why have the number of FDA inspectors decreased instead of increased?
I know there are Pharmaceutical companies in the US. In fact there is one in Morgantown WV. The name of the pharmaceutical company is Mylan. Mylan is the third largest generic pharmaceutical company in the world. It was founded in 1961 in White Sulphur Springs West Virginia in 1961.
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Comments: 39
Connie, I'm so sorry for the added stress this surely put on you. You will be in my prayers, as will all those who are in a situation where heparin is a necessity.
There is no way to ensure that we are protected. I have to have the heparin every month. I worry every month too.
I hope everything goes well for your son.
Shelia,
I can't understand why we are importing meds in the first place.
Shauna,
There are many people in the US who require ports and they also require heparin. Most of the time, cancer patients have to receive their treatments through ports as well.
I personally do not understand it.
Vivian,
It is scary.
Mary,
It is just more proof that they don't care for the American citizens.
Trista,
It is for sure.
This is sickening,all the compaines importing bad China made products that are bad need to be stopped.
Why do companies keep imprting Chinese products, even if they are bad...because they are cheap.
I am wondering just how many of the imports are hurting us. The government does not seem to care.
Elaine,
I too am pretty aggervated. If I die from contaminated heparin, make sure to sue them for me. :)
Heather,
I have no idea
Bob, It is scary and I dont understand why we are imporing medicine from China
Second, Does All the Heparin come from China?
"Why are we importing so much of our medicines from China? Why are we importing medications from other countries at all? Why have the number of FDA inspectors decreased instead of increased? "
Because our representatives have been influenced to allow this by large corporations who want to make more money by having drugs or drug ingredients produced more cheaply overseas.
As far as the FDA is concerned, they report to the president. Since Bush came into power, he has greatly reduced any oversight groups in number and in influence - he has gone along with his fat corporate cronies in getting everything deregulated and above any kind of inspection or accountability. A few paltry deaths? What is that to the big CEO's who can rake in billions in bonuses if they increase profits and raise their company's stock price?
It's sick....sick, sick, sick...what the Congress has allowed this man to do....a Congress that was led by Republicans for 6 years and even now Bush holds the reigns with vetos on what can be done since the Dems hold such a small lead in numbers. This is the fault of the Congress and the president. This, and many other travesties such as the airline debacle based on the depletion of FAA inspectors and the "hands off" policies of this president.
How many citizens are willing to die for this man and his cronies so that they can make more and more money? When will the citizens of this country wake up, stop supporting his stupid policies and demand impeachment before he does any more harm?
a nation that barely gives a crap about the rights of its own individuals shouldn't be expected to care about ours, especially when we seem to so willingly collaborate in the oppression of workers in their system.
Our politicians who accept bribes that we call "campaign contributions" from corporations, that foreign governments can purchase, will apparently continue to work toward the end of making us the same sort of prostitutes that they seem to have become.
I'd boycott Chinese goods if it was possible! But soon we will be sending all of our money overseas to buy what we can and probably should make ourselves.
I can't recall why all three were given blood or exposed to AIDs at the same time but my memory is that she was nursing her daughter and had to have a blood transfusion and then she gave birth and unknowingly passed the AIDS to her son. All I know is that the blood contamination passed on to both children.
The son is still alive and doing well, amazingly. It is a moving book of one parent's crusade to change things and there is now an AIDs foundation and information that ALL of us are potentially affected by these things. Instead of wallowing in pain, shock and grief Elizabeth Glaser decided to FIGHT - and wow, did she fight...persistently but with firmness...for change. The book is painful to read but also wonderful and inspiring. I can not read it without having to take long breaks to cry. Her pain is palpable but so is her transformation to an angry woman who doesn't want any others to suffer what she did, watching her daughter die in childhood. The photo section is particularly haunting. A lovely family, leaving behind only the father (he has since remarried but carries on his wife's work).
At the time, the shots were made, partially, by blood products. I would not take them until I got firm assurances that I was not at risk for AIDS and even then I made them test me every few months for 2 years. My trust level is not the highest because I had a relative get Hepatitis after an operation and blood transfusion. The Heptatitis was in the blood.
Most blood types can receive only certain blood types but only AB+ can receive all blood types without danger
Those with O- are universal donors and can give to all blood types. However, I believe they can only receive O- blood. So you can see how complicated it can be.
There are many other blood types and some are rarer than others.
I want to repeat Sheryl's statement from above:
"Why are we importing so much of our medicines from China? Why are we importing medications from other countries at all? Why have the number of FDA inspectors decreased instead of increased? "
Because our representatives have been influenced to allow this by large corporations who want to make more money by having drugs or drug ingredients produced more cheaply overseas.
I have a hard time considering these "imports" when American corporations still own the companies. They send the work where they don't have to adhere to the same standards, bring the products back in through ports where they don't have to inspect, and then want to place the blame on the other end?
SPL, the Wisconsin based lab, also has a facility in China where the drug is produced, so as Sandy alluded, it's a non-import sort of import. The same greed that caused them to make the drug out of this country is what also caused them to deliberately contaminate the drug so they wouldn't lose money when they realized they couldn't keep up with the demand without doing so.
Of course, most chemical and bio labs are funded by investment companies because research and production is extremely expensive. Another interesting tidbit is that in 2006, SPL's major investor was Arsenal Capital Partners, however, they sold 87% to American Capital Strategies, another investment firm while SPL retained the rest of the equity. Now the timing could have been a coincidence, but I have a feeling that Arsenal got out while the gettin' was good. They knew what was going on too.
I will pray for you my my dear friend that Heavenly will sustain you....
through these trying times.
Your Friend
Barbara
I wish you all the best in this struggle. Take care.
Secondly, I am so sorry, Connie that you are suffering. I hope to heck they are punished.
It's absolutely terrible, and we all sit here wondering why things can't be changed.
We need to wake up and impose the same standards we require of American products.
"How many lives does it take?"