Baxter probing blood thinner in 2 deaths

Baxter International Inc. is reviewing reports that two hospital patients in Delaware died after using premixed bags of the blood thinner heparin.

Baxter sent investigators to Beebe Medical Center in the coastal city of Lewes on May 9 to determine whether heparin contributed to bleeding in the patients' brains, Erin Gardiner, a company spokeswoman, said in a phone interview today. Three other patients suffered adverse reactions after taking heparin and are being treated, according to the Associated Press.

Hundreds of allergic reactions and deaths were reported last year after heparin vials and devices were found to contain a tainted ingredient manufactured in China. That contaminant wasn't found in Delaware and Baxter hasn't received similar reports from other facilities that use its heparin bags, Gardiner said.

"It's premature to speculate between the reactions and our product," she said. "The unfortunate events have not been confirmed to be associated with premixed heparin."

Baxter gets the active ingredient for the bags from New York-based Pfizer Inc., Gardiner said. Unlike the heparin in the vials that came from China, the ingredients in the premixed bags are found and manufactured in North America, she said.

Pfizer Cooperating

Rick Chambers, a spokesman for Pfizer, said today in a phone interview that his company is cooperating with the FDA and Baxter on their investigations. Pfizer supplies ingredients in heparin to several drug manufacturers and hasn't received any other reports of adverse reactions related to its products, Chambers said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it is working with Baxter to test the heparin and its components and gather more information about what happened to the patients.

"Results of product testing to date by FDA and Baxter have not revealed any problems," said Karen Riley, a spokeswoman for the agency, in an e-mailed statement. "As far as we can determine at this point, while we continue to investigate, this appears to be an isolated incident."

Beebe Medical Center's public affairs office didn't immediately return a message seeking comment.

Baxter, of Deerfield, gained 17 cents to $50.43 at 1:43 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. Pfizer fell 24 cents to $14.16.