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CHICAGO PHARMACUTICAL MANUFACTURER NAMED IN BLOODTHINNER LAWSUIT
Chicago, Illinois (April 1, 2008).— a lawsuit was filed today against Deerfield Illinois based Baxter International Inc. on behalf of Mark Scott, who suffered the tragic loss his wife Melissa Scott on November 30, 2007. The complaint was filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County by the Nolan Law Group and alleges that Melissa Scotts’ untimely death was caused by her exposure to Heparin Sodium Injection therapy. The complaint cites two counts of product liability and negligence on the part of Baxter International.
Heparin is a vital drug for about 500,000 patients currently undergoing dialysis in the United States and acts as a blood thinner preventing the formation of clots that can trigger heart attacks or strokes. The medicine and its manufacturer have recently made headlines due to a lawsuit filed by Actor Dennis Quaid and his wife. The Hollywood couples’ newborn twins were sickened by an accidental overdose of the blood thinner. The Quaid suit accuses Baxter of failing to put clear distinguishing labels on certain vials of heparin, and failing to recall the product after three other infants died because of a mix-up.
The lawsuit filed today by Mark Scott asserts that Baxter International was responsible for the manufacture, sale and distribution of a product containing toxic chemicals. It also claims that the product was manufactured with insufficient amounts of the active ingredient (API) and that Baxter International failed to provide adequate warnings or instructions to assist users identifying adverse reactions.
The suit falls on the heels of a recent finding by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identifying an unknown contaminant found in Baxter heparin.
Baxter Heparin has been implicated in more than 400 life-threatening reactions and may be responsible for as many as 21 deaths. Early THIS year, Baxter initiated a voluntary recall of nine lots of heparin sodium injection multi-dose vials. According to Baxter International, they recalled the lots due to a spike in adverse reports associated with the use of Baxter heparin sodium injections.
In February 2008, after receiving additional reports of similar adverse events from other lots of their heparin sodium injection products, Baxter recalled their remaining multi-dose and single-dose vials, as well as HEP-LOCK heparin flush products.
Around that same time, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Public Health Advisory warning doctors and other health practitioners not to use Baxter Heparin products.
The USA food and Drug Association has issued a report stating that serious injuries and deaths have been associated with the use of heparin. The adverse events have included allergic or hypersensitivity-type reactions, with symptoms such as low blood pressure, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain and death.
Mr. Scott has been appointed the special administrator of his wife’s estate and as such is seeking personal and pecuniary damages from Baxter International Inc. for the loss of his wife in a sum in excess of the minimal jurisdictional limits of the Cook County Circuit Court.
Nolan Law Group is a Chicago based personal injury law firm concentrating in aviation accidents, construction accidents, brain injury litigation, medical malpractice, premises liability, product liability, and trucking accidents.
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Gordon Johnson is the Owner of the Johnson Law Office.
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