Heparin is a blood thinner typically used to prevent blood clots. Unfortunately, it often leads to devastating injuries - both when used inappropriately, and because many of the lots were manufactured with inappropriate ingredients. One of the manufacturers of heparin was forced to recall much of it's product, after it was learned that the plants in China that were manufacturing the raw product were using altered or contaminated ingredients.  And many families have suffered similar overdoses as described by Dennis Quaid.

Baxter's Multiple-dose Vial Heparin Linked to Severe Allergic Reactions
FDA advises health care practitioners to switch suppliers and limit use of drug until problem identified Heparin-feb-11-fda-release.pdf

Baxter Healthcare is performing a voluntary recall of the above lots of Heparin as a precaution due to an increase in reports of adverse patient reactions including abdominal pain, abdominal pain (upper), decreased blood pressure, burning sensation, chest pain, diarrhea, dizziness, drug ineffectiveness, dyspepsia, dyspnea, erythema, flushing, headache, hyperhidrosis, hypoesthesia, hypotension, lacrimation increased, loss of consciousness, malaise, nausea, pallor, palpitations, paresthesia,
paresthesia (oral), pharyngeal edema, restlessness, vomiting/retching, stomach discomfort, tachycardia, thirst, trismus, and unresponsiveness to stimuli.
baxter-recall-letter.pdf

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 26, 2007 - A massive overdose of heparin given to three infants, including the twins of actor Dennis Quaid, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center here has again focused national attention on hospital medication errors. Read More

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 5, 2007 - Quaid Sues Drug Maker After Twins' Heparin Overdose. Read More

WASHINGTON, July 09, 2008 - Dennis Quaid Argues for Drug Co. Accountability Before Congress
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JOINT COMMISSION ALERT: Prevent Blood Thinner Deaths and Overdoses Read More

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, for the first time, has conclusively linked deaths of patients infused with the blood thinner heparin to a foreign substance found in specific lots of the drug made by Deerfield-based Baxter International Inc. Read More