Attacking the Chinese

WASHINGTON - The chief executive of U.S. drug maker Baxter International Inc. said Tuesday its blood thinner heparin produced in China, which has been linked to dozens of deaths, appears to have been deliberately contaminated.

“We are greatly concerned that our heparin products appears to be the target of a deliberate adulteration scheme,” Baxter Chief Executive Robert Parkinson said in prepared remarks to a U.S. Congressional panel.

“Patient safety is our number-one priority, and we deeply regret the impact this contamination in Baxter’s heparin has had on patients,” he told a subpanel of the House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce Committee.

At least 82 deaths from allergic reactions have been reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since January 2007.

The FDA has identified the toxic substance as a synthetic compound called oversulfated chondroitin sulfate, or OSCS.

Heparin, a blood thinner used by millions of patients during kidney dialysis and heart surgery to prevent blood clots, is normally produced from pig intestines.

FDA officials have said the contaminated batches came from factories in China that make the drug for Baxter International, which recalled its heparin in February after dozens of deaths in the U.S. were reported.

U.S. health authorities said Chinese companies have also supplied contaminated heparin to Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and New Zealand.