Heparin prices doubled since April

[okarol]

May 14, 2008

BUSINESS NEWS: Heparin prices doubled since April

Major U.S. dialysis centers say the price of blood-thinner heparin has doubled since mid-April because of global recalls and tight supplies since the discovery of contaminated raw product from China.

At Renal Advantage, with 90 dialysis centers, prices have gone up twice since mid-April, says Angela Newman, vice president. DaVita, with 1,300 dialysis centers, has seen a similar jump, says spokeswoman Stephanie Horn.

Both companies get heparin from APP Pharmaceuticals. It became the USA's sole supplier of therapeutic heparin for surgeries and dialysis in February after Baxter International recalled its China-sourced product and stopped making more after a series of bad patient reactions, some fatal, potentially tied to its heparin.

http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080514/BUSINESS01/805140325/1003/business