FDA Under Fire for Poor Regulation of Chinese Heparin
Heparin is a blood thinning agent used in millions of patients world wide for many conditions. At least 81 deaths associated with the use of heparin from a plant in China which is partly owned by a US based company have now been reported. The cause of deaths appears to be a contaminant which causes sudden changes in blood pressure. Today, executives from the FDA were under fire from a Congressional inquiry. This is another example of the risks of seeking to reduce health care costs by taking short cuts in the quality of production of medical pharmaceuticals. Many critics are saying that if the proper inspection procedures by the FDA on foreign medical products were instituted such calamities would not occur.
The development of biotechnology industries is important for the US economy. One wonders why such an industry was not developed closer to home such as in the Rio Grande Valley.