Why is Heparin Killing Babies?

After more than 80 deaths were blamed on possible contamination from a Chinese supplier, the blood-thinning drug heparin has been in the news a great deal lately. Heparin has even had a brush with celebrity in 2007, when actor Dennis Quaid’s twins received 1,000 the usual dose of heparin when only 2 weeks old. Mr. Quaid was so shaken by the mistake that he and his wife started The Quaid Foundation to fight the causes of hospital errors. Ultimately the Quaid twins survived, but unfortunately other babies have not been so lucky.

The most recent cases were in a Texas hospital, when 17 babies each received 10,000 units of heparin instead of 10 and the error was not caught for two days. Unfortunately two babies lost their lives, although the medical examiner has not yet ruled if the deaths can in fact be blamed on the heparin overdose. This time, a mistake made while mixing the drugs in the hospital pharmacy was blamed for the overdoses.

Drug Mistakes – “Depressingly Normal”?

This isn’t the first time that a heparin mistake has killed babies. A similar incident in 2006 killed three babies, when a pharmacy technician stocked a cabinet with vials of heparin that contained a dose 1,000 times the usual amount. Not only were the doses incorrect, but the nurses who administered the drug did not notice that the vials were the wrong color (dark blue instead of baby blue) and that the label on the vials said “heparin” instead of “help-lock”.

An Institute of Medicine report has estimated that more than 1.5 million Americans a year are injured from medication errors in hospitals and nursing homes and as outpatients. Two years ago co-author of the study said of the Indiana overdoses that these kinds of mistakes are “depressingly normal”. This is a shocking comment on the state of the American healthcare system. What are we to do if even some of our most vulnerable patients – newborn babies – are suffering from drug overdoses?

Proposed Solutions for Drug Overdoses

A number of solutions have been proposed by activists and experts to prevent these kinds of deadly drug overdoses from occurring.

  • Clearer labeling for drugs, with better label distinction between different doses
  • Requiring nurses to have one or two other nurses check that they are administering the correct dose of the correct drug to the correct patient
  • Barcode labels for drug vials
  • Computerized medication systems (currently only used in about 10% of all hospitals, according to one source)

Critics have cited a drive for profit as one reason for an increase in medical errors, as more nurses are working longer hours and taking care of more patients which some believe naturally leads to unavoidable human errors. Unfortunately, even after the publicity and changes made after the Indiana incident in 2006 the Quaid twins received a similar heparin overdose. Then even after Mr. Quaid’s well-publicized activism the 17 babies in this most recent case received overdoses. Clearly a viable solution has not been found, or at least has not been implemented effectively.

Whatever the causes of a medical mistake, patients have rights and deserve justice for their suffering. If you or someone you love has been injured by the negligence of a doctor, healthcare professional, or hospital then we can help. Please contact Weisberg & Zaleski today to discuss your case with us for no charge and no obligation.

Weisberg & Zaleski, P.C.

112 College Place

Norfolk, VA 23510

Toll Free: (800) 690-0235

Phone: (757) 622-7740

Fax: (757) 533-9223


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