Hyderabad: Ten patients, who were administered anti-haemophilic Factor VIII in Gandhi Hospital, have complained of nausea and allergic reactions as it was found that the drug was administered in wet formation. On October 20, a patient was administered the drug at Gandhi Hospital and the doctors had to stop the medicine as there was an immediate reaction.
A senior government doctor, on condition of anonymity, said, “The wet formation leads to fungal infections and other viral infections in the body. Hepatitis B and C are the major threats for these patients.”
Hemant Pulijala, vice-president of Haemophilia Society of India, Hyderabad chapter, said, “This reaction forced senior doctors and resident medical officers to demand immediate inspection of the drugs. It was found that batch no HKB2517002 had all medicines in wet form while the earlier drugs were in dry form. This discrepancy was noted by doctors and they stopped giving the wet medicine.”
While the drugs supplied to Gandhi Hospital are in wet form, those supplied to Osmania General Hospital are in dry form.
Mr V. Ramarao, general secretary for Hyderabad of HSI, said, “We have written a letter to the director of health and medical education and the doctors at Gandhi Hospital have alerted the concerned departments. But there is no action. We require a replacement of Factor VIII. We want the government to arrange a replacement as maximum patients come to government hospitals for medications.”
Haemophilia is a life-threatening situation where the blood does not clot on its own and the bleeding does not stop. Hence these patients require immediate attention. They have to be careful so that they are not hurt otherwise they will have to take these injections intravenously to stop the bleeding.
