Inexpensive Illegal Ingredient Leads To Claims Of Chinese Action

In an announcement on Wednesday the FDA has confirmed what was suspected: that the source of contamination for Heparin seems to be a common diet supplement and that the contamination happened at the source, in China.

New York- In an announcement on Wednesday the FDA has confirmed what was suspected: that the source of contamination for Heparin seems to be a common diet supplement and that the contamination happened at the source, in China.

“We are not totally sure if it was intentional or accident,” said FDA spokesperson Dr. Janet Woodcock. Dr. Woodcock is the Drug research and Evaluation Center Director for the Food and Drug Administration.

Heparin is a drug used for blood thinning in kidney dialysis, blood transfusions, and heart surgery. A contaminated batch of the drug manufactured and distributed by Baxter International was recalled last month, but not before it contributed to several dozen reported injuries and 19 deaths in the United States.

Even with no clear fingerprints to who actually did the deed, there is little room for doubt that it was something that happened by chance or some unintentional by product of manufacturing.

The contaminant that was discovered in Heparin may have been as much as 50 percent by volume of the finished product. The contaminant was found to be a chemically changed form of Chondrotin sulfate, made from animal cartilage.

Let in its own natural state the chemical chondrotin sulfate does not have anti clotting properties. But when chemically altered it can be caused to mimic heparin, hence its illegal addition to the Heparin drug.