After learning that Heparin from China has been contaiminated with a cheap man made chemical substitute (which has now been linked to 62 deaths and a whole host of other illnesses) Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton has issued the following press release on her website:
“When it comes to the threat of unsafe drugs from China, the Bush administration is sitting on its hands and rolling the dice with our safety. Heparin is the latest example. Americans have a right to know that their government is taking their health and safety seriously.
With news accounts of a potentially tainted Chinese supply of the blood-thinning drug, heparin, and a new FDA report that the drug has caused hundreds of adverse reactions and 62 deaths, there is an urgent need for the administration to take decisive steps to protect patients from unsafe imported drugs. If George Bush won”t start that process now, I will when I am president.
As I laid out in my import safety agenda, I will require that foreign drug makers produce a certification that they have met American safety standards as a condition of import into the United States, confirmed by independent testing and inspection. I will open permanent FDA oversight offices in at-risk countries like China so that episodes like this one are not repeated. I will require foreign drug makers to accept random, surprise inspections, rather than notifying them in advance – and giving them a chance to clean up their act — as we do now. And I will stiffen civil and criminal penalties for violators.
It is a basic obligation of government to protect its citizens. Americans can count on me as President to protect the food we eat, the toys our children play with and the drugs we take to make us healthy, not sick.”
Its about time someone in Washinton spoke up about the influx of dangerous chinese imports that are hurting American consumers. And while most of us can choose not to buy Chinese toys or Chinese dog food, hospitalized Americans do not have that same freedom. Patients with heart conditions and those on dialysis depend on Heparin to prevent life threatening blood clots. How patheitc is it that these poor people have to worry about getting sick from Heparin because drug manufacturers wanted to save a few bucks. That my friends is greed at its worst.
John R.Mininno, Esq. is a New Jersey and Pennsylvania trial lawyer representing clients in medical malpractice, defective products and other serious injury claims. He also writes about issues concerning patient safety. His offices are in Collingswood, NJ and Philadelphia, PA.
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