The Chicago Tribune reports today that 3 Japanese companies have recalled heparin products that were produced by Scientific Protein Laboratories (SPL), the supplier of Baxter's recalled heparin. The recall was instituted despite the fact that there have been no reports of heparin-related adverse reactions in Japan and no evidence of an ersatz heparin additive in the companies' products.
It was reported last week that the German company Rotexmedica was recalling its heparin, after the drug was linked to approximately 80 allergic-type reactions beginning in mid-February. The suspect German heparin, which was confined to 3 separate batches produced by Rotexmedica, was not supplied by SPL but came from 2 different Chinese facilities, the Changzhou Quianhong Bio Pharma Company and the Yantai Dongcheng Biochemicals Company. The NYT reported that the 2 companies are among the top 10 Chinese heparin exporters.
It is presently unknown if the German heparin contains the heparin-like substance that was identified in the Baxter lots.
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