Actor Dennis Quaid sues heparin manufacturer
After newborn twins receive
heparin overdose
New York - February, 2008 - Deerfield, Illinois-based Baxter International,
Inc. has recalled thousands of vials of the popular blood thinner known as
Heparin after contaminated supplies were linked to more than four deaths and
hundreds of allergic reactions.
The last time Heparin was in the news was only last month when
movie actor Dennis Quaid and his wife sued Baxter for poor labeling that led to
their newborn twins becoming severely ill after receiving an adult dose of the
blood thinner while they were patients at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los
Angeles. Cedars-Sinai reportedly apologized for the human error.
Though the Quaid family incident is unrelated to the recent drug contamination issue and Baxter’s recall, the incident underscores the dangers inherent in administering strong pharmaceuticals, especially to children.
The Quaid suit accuses Baxter of failing to label children's Heparin vials distinctly from vials intended for adults. Both the child and the adult vials of the blood thinner had similar blue labels that led hospital employees to accidentally administer the wrong medicine to his children. The child's dose is reportedly 1,000 times weaker than the adult dose that they received.
The lawsuit against Baxter, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, Illinois, seeks at least $50,000 in damages, and further accuses Baxter of failing to recall the product after three other infants died because of a similar mix-up.
The Quaid family twins were born on November 8, 2007, and are doing well, according to news reports.
see also:
Heparin Attorney
Need a Drug Attorney for Your Heparin Lawsuit? Free Legal ReviewNews Details on the FDA recall of Blood Thinner Heparin--Attorney Info
Dennis Quaid's Twins and Heparin
Lawsuit: Twins of Actor Dennis Quaid Suffer Overdose of HeparinHeparin Co. sued by actor Dennis Quaid after twins nearly die from OD
Heparin Lawyers
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