Dialysis drug reactions reach 130 cases

MANILA, Philippines - At least 130 patients nationwide who have been undergoing dialysis experienced unusual chills due to a contaminated drug, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported yesterday.

Acting FDA director general Kenneth Hartigan-Go said the cases of patients who experienced adverse reactions to Meparin 5 rose to 130 and the number could still increase as they continue to track down other patients who used the dialysis drug.

“Since February we have recorded 130 cases of patients who suffered chills from Batangas, Bulacan and Quezon City. The previously reported 44 cases all came from the National Kidney Transplant Institute (NKTI),” Hartigan-Go disclosed.

Hartigan-Go noted that NKTI was the first hospital to detect the adverse reaction to the heparin solution and reported the cases to the FDA.

However, he clarified that the increase was not due to new cases since the drug has been banned.