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GENERAL INFORMATION |
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Heparin Side Effects and Recall: 2008 Heparin Lawsuit Update |
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| The blood thinner drug Heparin made by Baxter International Inc. has caused severe side effects including a profound drop in blood pressure, difficulty breathing and sometimes vomiting. This adverse reaction happens within a few seconds of the injection of the drug and can be fatal. |
| On April 21, 2008, the FDA updated its report of deaths associated with Heparin use to include 81 deaths in the United States. In addition, hundreds of patients worldwide have suffered severe reactions linked to contaminated Heparin. |
| Earlier, the FDA announced that the active ingredient in heparin sold by Baxter was contaminated at Chinese manufacturing facilities with a chemically altered form of chondroitin sulfate. It is still unknown if the contaminant was deliberately added to the crude Heparin or if it was the result of sloppy production. The FDA has identified 12 Chinese companies that have produced contaminated Heparin. |
| In addition to the Heparin-related deaths, hundreds of severe allergic reactions have also been linked to contaminated Heparin. In statistics on Heparin-related fatalities released in early April, the FDA's month-by-month adverse Heparin event reports show that 47 of 62 deaths (known at the time of the report) occcured between November and February. |
| Concern had previously
arisen over irregularities in samples of
heparin that were processed by Baxter’s
supplier in China, Changzhou SPL. According
to press reports, despite the fact that Changzhou
SPL began shipping Heparin to Baxter International in 2004,
the Changzhou factory was never inspected by
the FDA nor by its Chinese regulatory counterpart
until late February 2008. |
| The FDA sent a warning letter on Monday, April 21, 2008 to Changzhou SPL, identifying production problems including use of unclean tanks to make Heparin, raw materials received from an unacceptable vendor and no adequate way to remove impurities. Heparin is derived from the mucous membranes of the intestines of slaughtered pigs that are often cooked in unregulated family workshops in China. |
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| Lieff
Cabraser represents persons
across America injured by contaminated
and defective prescription
drugs, including Heparin. Click
here to submit your case. |
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Our lawyers have years of
experience successfully representing
clients in personal injury
cases. |
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There is no charge or obligation
for our review of your case. |
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In death and serious injury
cases, we are pleased to visit
you where you live, at no cost,
to discuss your legal rights
and answer your questions. |
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We have retained product
safety and medical experts
nationwide to assist our Heparin
clients with their claims. |
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For our personal injury cases,
we bring a team of experienced
lawyers. In addition, we have
on staff multiple nurses, legal
assistants, scientific analysts
and case clerks to assist our
attorneys. Learn more about
advantages we offer our clients. |
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| Authorities are urging doctors to use non-Baxter vials of heparin. Baxter sells roughly half the heparin sold in the U.S. and has agreed to halt making heparin products associated with the reported adverse effects. |
| The law in most states provides several personal injury claims for persons who have been seriously injured due to defective prescription drugs and treatments. These claims include strict liability for a defective product, failure to warn, and negligence. Damages sought against drug manufacturers can include compensation for: |
- Physical pain and suffering, mental anguish and physical impairment;
- Past and future medical expenses;
- Loss of earnings and/or earning capacity; and
- Punitive damages for extreme wrongful conduct.
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| In Heparin lawsuits against Baxter,
Lieff Cabraser clients have charged that Baxter
sold Heparin that was defective due
to contamination and inadequate inspection of its
product. Baxter
allegedly failed to undertake adequate testing
that would have shown that its Heparin posed a
life-threatening risk to patients. |
| "Prescription drug
manufacturers have a duty to produce products that
are safe and free of dangerous ingredients," stated
attorney Wendy R. Fleishman of Lieff
Cabraser. "Only
through a lawsuit or otherwise making a claim against
Baxter can patients obtain compensation for their
injuries. The American public needs the drug companies,
like Baxter, to take responsibility for the safety
of their products -- especially those like Heparin,
which are manufactured in part in China." |
| If you have suffered a
serious adverse reaction from Heparin or are a
relative of patient that died after receiving Heparin, please
click here to contact Lieff Cabraser. Our firm
is representing injured Heparin patients nationwide
and will review your claim without charge or obligation
on your part. |
| Alternatively, you may
call Lieff Cabraser personal injury attorney Heather
Foster in our San Francisco office at 1-800-541-7358
(the call is toll-free). |
| Founded in 1972, Lieff
Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP is an over fifty attorney
law firm with offices in San Francisco, New York
and Nashville. For the last five years,
the National Law Journal has recognized
Lieff Cabraser as one of the top 20 plaintiffs’ law
firms in America. |
| For our personal injury
cases, we bring a team of experienced lawyers.
Each client is assigned an individual lawyer. In
addition, we have on staff multiple nurses, legal
assistants, scientific analysts and case clerks
to assist the attorneys. To learn more about our
firm, click here. |
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| Trademark
Notice: Personal Injury Lawyer America is an electronic newsletter
from Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP. Lieff Cabraser
represents clients in a wide range of cases, including personal
injury and wrongful
death lawsuits. Our personal injury attorneys
| lawyers are committed to providing the very best representation
and support possible for our clients. This website provides information
on the legal rights of the injured and the latest news on product
defects and related lawsuits. |
Lieff Cabraser
is not affiliated in any way with any trademark owner. The use of
any trademarks on this site is for product identification and information
purposes only.
About Lieff Cabraser: We have
offices in San Francisco, New York and Nashville. Our lawyers have
represented clients in personal injury, wrongful death and
rollover crashes and product defect lawsuits across America, including
residents of Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California,
Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho,
Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland,
Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North
Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada,
New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin,
West Virginia and Wyoming.
Among the cases our personal injury
attorneys are prosecuting are the Medtronic heart lead recall, the
AMO contact lens solution recall, the Peter Pan peanut butter recall, Guidant
pacemaker defects, SUV
rollover accidents, popcorn
workers lung injuries, and Ford
switch fires.
Disclaimer: The hiring of legal
professionals is an important decision that should not be based on
advertising alone. Please read our disclaimer. |
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| Copyright © 2008 Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP |
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