In the last few days, three new countries have joined the growing list of nations recalling heparin, the popular blood-thinning medication that has made headlines around the world in recent weeks due to contamination of its raw ingredients, which has lead to hundreds of allergic reactions and more than a dozen deaths.

The contaminant, over-sulfated chondroitin sulfate, does not have the blood-thinning characteristics for which heparin is prescribed. Raw ingredients from China, used by drug manufacturers in other countries to make the final product, seem to be the source of the contamination.

On Friday, France began recalls of heparin supplied by Rotexmedica GmbH, the same source as the heparin recalled in Germany a couple of weeks ago. Rotexmedica GmbH gets its raw ingredients from China.

Italy and Denmark both get heparin from Opocrin SpA, an Italian company that gets its raw ingredients from China. The supply at Opocrin SpA has tested positive for contamination.

Earlier this month, the United States, Germany, and Japan issued recalls of heparin and heparin-related products. The European Medicines Agency says no harmful effects have been recorded in France, Italy, and Denmark thus far but the suspicion of contamination is strong enough to warrant the action.

Source: Reuters