OSTOJIC: BAXTER'S ADMISSION CONFIRMS OUR SUSPICION

ZAGREB, Nov 6 (Hina) - The admission of Baxter International Inc. that a possible cause of the death of patients undergoing hemodialysis with Baxter dialysers may be related to the liquid used in the production of those dialysers has confirmed the Croatian Health Ministry's suspicions, Deputy Health Minister Rajko Ostojic said Tuesday. The results of the tests the Ministry conducted in October after the death of 23 kidney patients undergoing hemodialysis pointed to an unknown substance in A and AF dialyser series, which was not present in other dialysers, Ostojic reminded. He stressed that discontinuing the delivery of the suspicious dialysers was within the ministry's jurisdiction, while the Interior Ministry and the State Prosecution were in charge of further investigations. Ostojic said the ministry was considering the possibility of asking the State Prosecution to initiate proceedings against Baxter. He added the Prosecution had been involved in the investigation from the start and its representatives had attended the first meeting of ministry representatives and Baxter. After the tragic incidents, the Health Ministry warned all health institutions and associations in Europe about the suspicious dialysers, thus possibly preventing a series of similar deaths, Ostojic told Hina. (hina) np