Heparin and the Hollywood Connection

Heparin is an anti-coagulant drug often administered to newborn babies in order to prevent clotting in both the body and the IV lines.

Heparin gained notoriety for the role it played in a number of overdose cases. In 2006, six children were given an overdose in Indiana and three of them didn't survive. In Texas, 17 premature babies overdosed as well.

The sobering truth is that Heparin overdose cases seem to have become quite commonplace.

Heparin gained heightened fame when actor Dennis Quaid sued Baxter Healthcare Corp. for negligence when his two babies were given a heparin overdose. They were given 1,000 times the amount they should have received. Luckily, they survived.

Who is to blame?

Some say that it's the drug manufacturer fault, since Heparin packaging is strikingly similar to that of another drug called Heplock. The similar labeling has caused many overdose issues, since both have similar vials with the same kind of coloring. At a glance, it is difficult to tell the two apart.

Others blame the hospital for negligence saying their staff was not trained adequately. The hospital has now taken preventive steps to ensure that this kind of error doesn't happen again.

Quaid used his celebrity status to help bring the Heparin matter to light. Though his experience with Heparin is not a unique one, it does show how lethal the problem really is.