Heparin Contamination & the FDA in the YouTube Era
July 16th, 2009. By LucyC
Have you thought of contaminated heparin lately? It’s kind of drifted off people’s radar, but it’s still a current topic on YouTube. Deep in the bowels of YouTube you will find an FDA video, which YouTube shows as being 3 months old, that recaps the reasons why heparin was recalled and precautions you should take, in case there’s more contaminated blood thinner still “at large.”
The video itself is dated July, 2008. It’s interesting that it followed a heavily viewed video from Reuters on heparin contamination titled, “FDA feels the heat over heparin”. So it would appear that the FDA, in a belated abundance of caution, chose to finally advise consumers to keep their eyes and ears open for any possible future heparin recalls. That someone chose to post the video only 3 months ago hints at reports that the FDA is apparently still receiving word of adverse events, which may or may not be due to contaminated product.
Good doobie that the FDA is, they do ask you to report any heparin-related adverse events you have experienced, and they provide you with the information on where and how to do that. So, if you or someone you know is using heparin you clearly have your work cut out—and it’s a bit of “buyer beware” ex post facto.
On a related but more disturbing note, despite the FDA’s and poster’s good intentions, the very fact that the video was posted on YouTube only 3 months ago and it only has 185 views to-date would indicate the YouTube mode of disseminating critical consumer awareness messages may not be the best way to go (unless of course you’re Carl Rove admitting to a CIA assassination ring—19,014 views and counting). The heparin clip is not exactly a feature film—it’s a three and half minute clip, and it’s easy to understand.
Based on all this, I’m wondering if this important information isn’t reaching the general public in a meaningful way. But then the counter argument could also be made the FDA have made attempts to educate the public, just by making this video. So, it seems, the onus falls to you and me—the consumers—to educate ourselves about the problem, and keep ourselves up-to-date about potential risks. Thankfully, the Internet makes this rather overwhelming task easier. And what’s even easier is talking with a lawyer; reporting contaminated heparin effects ex post facto is great, but it is, uh, ex post facto…
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