ZAGREB, Oct 17 (Hina) - The U.S. company Baxter notified Croatia's Pliva, by phone and in writing, that it was withdrawing dialysers in the wake of the death of several patients in Spain, recommending that the Croatian drugs company
notify the Health Ministry in line with the law, Baxter's representatives said in Zagreb. Pliva was notified by phone in early September and in writing on Sept. 13 about the voluntary cessation of dialyser distribution pending the completion of the Spanish investigation, the company's spokeswoman for Europe, Patty O'Hyer, told reporters on Wednesday. She said all health ministries in the countries Baxter operated in had been notified about that decision. Croatia's Health Ministry has a rule book stipulating that the supplier of medicines or equipment must notify the health minister about every case involving problems concerning a medicine or medical device. Last week, 21 Cr
ZAGREB, Oct 17 (Hina) - The U.S. company Baxter notified Croatia's
Pliva, by phone and in writing, that it was withdrawing dialysers in
the wake of the death of several patients in Spain, recommending
that the Croatian drugs company notify the Health Ministry in line
with the law, Baxter's representatives said in Zagreb.
Pliva was notified by phone in early September and in writing on
Sept. 13 about the voluntary cessation of dialyser distribution
pending the completion of the Spanish investigation, the company's
spokeswoman for Europe, Patty O'Hyer, told reporters on
Wednesday.
She said all health ministries in the countries Baxter operated in
had been notified about that decision.
Croatia's Health Ministry has a rule book stipulating that the
supplier of medicines or equipment must notify the health minister
about every case involving problems concerning a medicine or
medical device.
Last week, 21 Croatian kidney patients died during or after
undergoing treatment with Baxter dialysers.
Baxter does not operate in Croatia, but has its products imported
and distributed by Pliva, which should have been the one to notify
the Health Ministry.
After the death of 12 Spanish patients at the end of August, Baxter
withdrew the whole contentious dialyser series, reintroducing them
on Tuesday or Wednesday last week, following preliminary
inspections, O'Hyer said. This means Pliva could not have imported
the contentious devices while distribution was halted, she
emphasised.
Pliva director Zeljko Covic recently stated Baxter failed to notify
the Croatian company that its dialysers might have been responsible
for the death of the Spanish patients, and told Pliva that dialysers
imported to Croatia were completely safe.
Croatia's Health Minister Ana Stavljenic-Rukavina recently said
the ministry learned about the Spanish incident only last
Saturday.
O'Hyer read out an article from Spain's El Pais daily in which a
Spanish Health Ministry official claims there is no connection
between the tragic events in Spain and Croatia. She declined to
comment on the news that three Baxter officials were to appear in a
Spanish court later this month.
(hina) ha