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List of medicine contamination incidents

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110:, the same ingredient that had tainted cough syrup and killed 138 Panamanians in 2006. Panamanian officials discovered that the toothpaste had come from China and initiated a global response. Also in May 2007, the same toothpaste was found in some Costa Rican stores. Fast action by the Ministry of Health, and notification through the media, prevented poisonings due to this product. This event was linked to the death sentence of a former pharmaceuticals control officer in China, as the Costa Rican newspaper 120:
the claim to be manufactured in South Africa by Colgate-Palmolive South Africa LTD; they were 5 oz/100 ml tubes (a size which Colgate does not sell in the United States) and their packaging contained numerous misspellings on the labels. Colgate-Palmolive claimed it does not import products from South Africa into the United States or Canada and that DEG is never and was never used in any of its products anywhere in the world. These counterfeit products were found in smaller
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toothpaste imported from China was found to be contaminated with DEG, and several people in the eastern US reported experiencing headaches and pain after using the product. The same occurred in Spain with a false Colgate toothpaste, which contained 6% DEG. The tainted products could be identified by
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A graphic story of a race against death from "elixir sulfanilamide," carried on by the Food and Drug Administration in fifteen States from Virginia to California, a race not won until ninety-three persons had died after taking the lethal dose, was told by Secretary Wallace today in a report
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2018: From 2012 to 2018 massive amounts of generic versions of an entire class of angiotensin II inhibitor blood pressure medications (collectively called "sartans") were made with contaminated ingredients. Patients receiving these drugs were exposed to genotoxic and carcinogenic
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Federal drug regulators, in announcing Wednesday that the mystery contaminant in heparin was an inexpensive, unapproved ingredient altered to mimic the real thing, moved closer to concluding that Americans might be the latest victims of lethal Chinese drug
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and infected over 10,000 patients worldwide. The manufacturers of the affected products became aware of the contamination but continued to sell it. After the contaminated products were banned in many developed countries, sales were shifted to developing
202:, points to a greater problem. Generic drug manufacturers often change the way in which prescription drug ingredients are made in order to lower costs of making them, so this kind of contamination may be more widespread and undetected in generic drugs. 605: 694:
A contaminated blood thinner from China has been found in drug supplies in 11 countries, and federal officials said Monday they had discovered a clear link between the contaminant and severe reactions now associated with 81 deaths in the United
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Then, two months ago, fatality knocked at its door. A new mixture of a new drug (sulfanilamide) with a new solvent (diethylene glycol), which Dr. Massengill's salesmen sold as Elixir Sulfanilamide-Massengill, was discovered to be killing its
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reported on its issue of May 30. On June 4, 2007, a press release by the Chinese Foreign Ministry cited an earlier study in China which concluded that up to 15.6% diethylene glycol in toothpaste is safe. In June 2007, counterfeit
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stores, dollar stores, and discount stores in at least four states. In July 2007, diethylene glycol was found in counterfeit Sensodyne toothpaste, on sale at a car boot sale in Derbyshire, England.
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N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) from 2012 until the drugs were recalled from the world drug market in 2018. The problem began in 2012, when the process for making
325: 720: 198:(NDEA), which cause genetic damage and cancer. This contamination was not detected until 2018. The incident, according to medicinal chemist and pharmaceutical industry blogger Dr. 814: 190:") was changed by generic drug manufacturers in favor of several cheaper and more efficient processes. These changes caused drugs made with tetrazole to be contaminated with 375: 775: 489: 413: 807: 745: 458:
China sentencia a muerte al exjefe de control de fármacos. (China sentences to death former drug control chief) La Nación, pp. 1 & 4. (May 30th 2007)
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The syrupy poison, diethylene glycol, is an indispensable part of the modern world, an industrial solvent and prime ingredient in some antifreeze.
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2009, 84 Nigerian children were reported to have died after being given "My Pikin", a teething syrup contaminated with diethylene glycol.
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Bogdanich, W.; McLean, R. "Poisoned Toothpaste in Panama Is Believed to Be From China", New York Times, May 19, 2007.
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were found to be contaminated by users to the detriment of subsequent users. Bacterial growth was found in all
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An Epidemiological Study on the Health Effects of Population Using the Toothpaste with Diethylene Glycol
438: 1004: 850: 767: 1259: 1229: 1124: 882: 44: 595: 290: 158:, 753 cases of fungal infection occurred with 64 deaths due to contaminated injectable medication. 1052: 938: 706: 350: 182:, a chemical intermediate in the production of various angiotensin II inhibitor medications for 1119: 892: 191: 672: 1167: 1135: 997: 923: 195: 562: 1254: 633: 199: 171:
in California found to contain dangerous bacteria and fungi, causing at least one fatality.
116: 40: 20:, the term "contamination" is used to describe harmful intrusions, such as the presence of 792: 35:
The following list encompasses notable medicine contamination and adulteration incidents.
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discovered that toothpaste sold in his country was labeled as containing
910: 718:"Contaminated medical marijuana believed to have killed cancer patient" 477:, Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Negara Brunel Darussalam 410:"China investigating toothpaste containing potentially deadly chemical" 532:"Toothpaste labeled Colgate recalled - More health news - nbcnews.com" 541: 316:"Wallace Reveals How Federal Agents Traced Elixir to Halt Fatalities" 179: 140: 67: 950: 877: 728: 536: 25: 245:
Sources of Contamination in Medicinal Products and Medical Devices
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News.yahoo.com Nigeria child deaths from tainted syrup rise to 84
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manufacturers used diethylene glycol, which they believed to be
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1985 Treatments for hemophilia derived from human blood
596:"From China to Panama, a Trail of Poisoned Medicine" 186:(popularly known by their common drug name suffix " 1147:Political abuse of psychiatry in the United States 634:"Heparin Find May Point to Chinese Counterfeiting" 156:New England Compounding Center meningitis outbreak 673:"U.S. Identifies Tainted Heparin in 11 Countries" 435:"U.S. checking all toothpaste imports from China" 1221: 507:"7online.com: Toothpaste recall expands 6/18/07" 667: 468:US 'Self-contradictory' over Toothpaste Scandal 628: 590: 235: 1099:Prescription drug prices in the United States 1005: 808: 154:2012: As of 2 November 2012 in the 412:. International Herald Tribune. 2007-05-22. 351:"Nose Drop Contamination In Dropper Bottles" 338:responding to Senate and House resolutions. 1012: 998: 815: 801: 241: 82:were contaminated with HIV and hepatitis C 944:List of medicine contamination incidents 373: 1250:Lists of disasters in the United States 1152:Political abuse of psychiatry in Russia 823:Combined substance use and adulteration 584: 1222: 734: 993: 796: 378:. TruTV Crime Library. Archived from 95:pain-relief capsules were laced with 55:, leading to the 1938 passage of the 51:as the solvent for the antibacterial 978:List of reagent testing color charts 765: 213:List of food contamination incidents 57:Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act 563:"Toxin found in fake UK toothpaste" 349:Gompertz, John and Michael, Paul. 289:. December 20, 1937. Archived from 218:List of foodborne illness outbreaks 13: 1270:United States health-related lists 866:List of polysubstance combinations 163:2012 Pakistan fake medicine crisis 14: 1286: 437:. CNN. 2007-05-23. Archived from 147:2008 Chinese heparin adulteration 1019: 919:Counterfeit illegal drug selling 768:"The Sartan Contamination Story" 1077:Economic and financial concerns 778:from the original on 2020-04-08 759: 748:from the original on 2020-08-08 711: 700: 685:from the original on 2008-12-11 661: 646:from the original on 2020-11-26 622: 608:from the original on 2021-03-16 573:from the original on 2009-01-15 555: 524: 499: 480: 461: 416:from the original on 2009-03-08 328:from the original on 2020-10-26 262:from the original on 2021-12-04 452: 427: 402: 393: 367: 343: 308: 273: 242:Bohrer, D. (2012). "Preface". 1: 1142:Political abuse of psychiatry 228: 74:solutions that were examined. 1240:Food and Drug Administration 89:1982 Chicago Tylenol murders 7: 1275:Social problems in medicine 1178:Hospital-acquired infection 1173:Hospital-acquired pneumonia 206: 10: 1291: 851:Combined drug intoxication 766:Lowe, Derek (2019-01-04). 99:, leading to seven deaths. 1196: 1160: 1107: 1076: 1025: 959: 901: 828: 248:. John Wiley & Sons. 1125:Compulsory sterilization 883:Polysubstance dependence 45:S. E. Massengill Company 1053:Unnecessary health care 939:Counterfeit medications 376:"The Tylenol Terrorist" 281:"Medicine: Post-Mortem" 1235:Pharmaceuticals policy 1120:Sluggish schizophrenia 829:Combined substance use 192:N-nitrosodimethylamine 143:, to make cough syrup. 1197:Records and histories 1168:Adverse drug reaction 1136:The Protest Psychosis 924:Clandestine chemistry 324:. November 26, 1937. 196:N-nitrosodiethylamine 78:1970s –  41:Elixir sulfanilamide 30:pharmaceutical drugs 1038:Medical malpractice 731:(February 7, 2017). 175:2012 –  18:medicinal chemistry 1265:Lists of disasters 1094:Financial toxicity 723:2020-04-07 at the 671:(April 22, 2008). 632:(March 20, 2008). 492:2008-06-13 at the 473:2009-03-06 at the 356:2020-09-19 at the 1217: 1216: 1183:Iatrogenic anemia 1130:Physician gag law 987: 986: 861:Polysubstance use 836:Active metabolite 364:(April 11, 1942). 223:Toxic cough syrup 129:Toxic cough syrup 108:diethylene glycol 97:potassium cyanide 49:diethylene glycol 1282: 1260:Medical scandals 1230:Health disasters 1161:Related concerns 1014: 1007: 1000: 991: 990: 856:Drug interaction 846:Combination drug 817: 810: 803: 794: 793: 787: 786: 784: 783: 763: 757: 756: 754: 753: 738: 732: 715: 709: 704: 698: 697: 691: 690: 665: 659: 658: 652: 651: 626: 620: 619: 614: 613: 588: 582: 581: 579: 578: 559: 553: 552: 550: 549: 540:. 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Retrieved 244: 237: 184:hypertension 111: 72:neosynephrin 34: 15: 1255:Drug safety 1068:Never event 194:(NDMA) and 122:mom and pop 1224:Categories 935:Medicines 911:Drug fraud 782:2020-04-17 752:2020-04-17 689:2008-06-11 650:2008-03-20 612:2008-03-20 577:2010-05-08 548:2021-11-26 517:2009-07-20 445:2007-05-23 420:2007-05-22 386:2009-07-20 332:2009-07-20 297:2009-07-19 266:2023-01-09 229:References 200:Derek Lowe 43:incident: 180:tetrazole 141:glycerine 112:La Nación 68:ephedrine 26:pathogens 1026:Concepts 951:Impurity 878:Polypill 776:Archived 746:Archived 729:CBS News 721:Archived 683:Archived 644:Archived 606:Archived 571:Archived 567:BBC News 537:NBC News 490:Archived 471:Archived 414:Archived 354:Archived 326:Archived 260:Archived 207:See also 85:markets. 1245:Poisons 893:Synergy 888:Prodrug 695:States. 117:Colgate 93:Tylenol 929:Lacing 841:Codrug 252:  188:sartan 167:2017: 161:2012: 133:Panama 62:1942, 22:toxins 303:users 127:2007 47:used 39:1937 1208:List 362:JAMA 250:ISBN 70:and 131:in 28:in 24:or 16:In 1226:: 774:. 770:. 744:. 727:, 692:. 681:. 675:. 653:. 642:. 636:. 615:. 604:. 598:. 565:. 534:. 360:, 335:. 318:. 300:. 283:. 258:. 135:: 91:: 32:. 1210:) 1206:( 1013:e 1006:t 999:v 980:) 976:( 816:e 809:t 802:v 785:. 755:. 580:. 551:. 520:. 448:. 423:. 389:. 269:. 59:.

Index

medicinal chemistry
toxins
pathogens
pharmaceutical drugs
Elixir sulfanilamide
S. E. Massengill Company
diethylene glycol
sulfanilamide
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
Nose droppers
ephedrine
neosynephrin
were contaminated with HIV and hepatitis C
1982 Chicago Tylenol murders
Tylenol
potassium cyanide
Eduardo Arias
diethylene glycol
Colgate
mom and pop
Toxic cough syrup
Panama
Pharmaceutical
glycerine
2008 Chinese heparin adulteration
New England Compounding Center meningitis outbreak
2012 Pakistan fake medicine crisis
medical cannabis
tetrazole
hypertension

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