Posted on 10/14/2006 2:37:11 PM PDT by neverdem
AP Medical Writer
ATLANTA
U.S. health officials this week cracked the case of what caused the mysterious deaths of 21 people in Panama since midsummer _ an industrial chemical in red cough syrup.
Officials continue to investigate how the medicine became contaminated. The Panamanian government has ordered the syrup removed from store shelves and the government factory that manufactured it shut down.
But U.S. health officials are tentatively counting the investigation as a success story in rapid investigation and international collaboration that may have prevented additional deaths.
"It was really a mystery illness that had everybody stumped," said Dr. Scott Dowell, who leads the Global Disease Protection program at the Atlanta-based U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Many of the victims suffered kidney failure, paralysis and sagging of the facial muscles and other symptoms. Last week, Panama's Ministry of Health asked the CDC to send help. By that point more than a dozen deaths had been reported.
Early Wednesday, CDC investigators found diethylene glycol in four white plastic cough syrup bottles flown in from Panama City. Diethylene glycol is a chemical cousin of antifreeze and is used to keep products like glue and cosmetics moist.
"I think everybody's feeling pretty confident" that the chemical's presence explains the illnesses, said Eric Sampson, director of the CDC environmental health lab that made the find.
U.S. scientists discovered the chemical's dangers in 1937, when at least 105 people died after taking a DEG-containing antibacterial medicine made by the S.E. Massengill Co. of Bristol, Tenn.
The disaster became a turning point in U.S. regulatory history, influencing Congress to give the Food and Drug Administration the power to certify the safety of drugs before they are sold to the public.
DEG poisonings have erupted occasionally since then in other parts of the world. In late 1995 and early 1996, more than 30 children were admitted to a hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with sudden kidney failure. An investigation by Haitian health officials, the CDC and others discovered diethylene glycol in acetaminophen syrup manufactured in Haiti.
As of Friday afternoon, the investigation had identified 58 illnesses in the outbreak, including the 21 deaths, CDC officials said. Panamanian officials said they have an antidote for the chemical and planned to administer it immediately to the sick.
CDC officials are trying to position themselves to more quickly react to unusual outbreaks of illness around the world. The agency has 200 full-time employees in 45 countries, up from the 87 employees in 38 countries it had in 2000.
The agency established response centers in Thailand in 2001 and in Kenya in 2004. This year, it also established three more, in China, Egypt and Guatemala.
Four investigators from the Guatemala center traveled to Panama to assist in the CDC investigation.
Investigators noted many of the patients were taking lisinopril, a blood pressure medication, but last weekend an FDA lab ruled that out as the cause. Tests of blood, urine and tissue from autopsies found no contagious diseases, either.
Some of the people who grew ill had been taking a sugarless cough medicine that was made in a pharmaceutical factory operated by Caja de Seguro Social, a government hospital system. That led investigators to test the medicine.
This reminds me of the sulphanilimide elixir deaths of the 30's. I had never heard of that until I saw a special on PBS, but I now tell the story in my chem classes every year.
Naturally and Safely Treat Contaminated Soil and Water with Natural Enviro 8000 Bioremediation
FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.
Sounds like they are trying to downplay this. They discovered what was in the cough medicine, but do they have any idea how it got there?
Libertarian dogma includes closing down the FDA.
"Sounds like they are trying to downplay this. They discovered what was in the cough medicine, but do they have any idea how it got there?"
No, they are not down playing it. It is suspected the poison was introduced while mixing up a batch of syrup for bottling at the main social security hospital complex. There is a criminal investigation going on. This is a difficult case.
It does? I don't think so. Where did you get that?
That 1937 case. Was the chemical actually used in the medication? Or was it found in it?
I apologize to you. I was not aware of any past poisonings until yesterday. Yes, this information took me by surprise too. I do not know in what form the poison was introduced in 1937, through a syrup or pill. A freeper pharmacist on board can help us with your question.
We advocate the abolition of the Food and Drug Administration and particularly its policies of mandating specific nutritional requirements and denying the right of manufacturers to make non-fraudulent claims concerning their products.We advocate the abolition of the Food and Drug Administration seems prettyclear to me.
;-)
No need to ping me. I'm here.
Kinda reminds me of the Tylenol scare years ago. Only this seems more sinister. Politics involved?
I googled "diethylene glycol poisoning 1937." Go to the first entry; and then, go to the first entry again. It would not allow me to cut and paste. It was used in a medication in liquid form, and folks did not know what they were doing then. Today, in Panama, this is a case of murder.
I don't know where you got that but the current platform does not contain the word "food" so a reference to the Food and Drug Administration is suspect.
Here is the "platform". Section 1.9 is on Sexuality and Gender. Now THAT is a goofy platform section but as far as I can see there is no such call for abolition of the FDA.
http://www.lp.org/issues/platform_all.shtml
where did you get your source?
Hey RR,
I sent you several articles today. You must be dizzy and sick from them. I don't blame you.
I cannot rule out politics. The reason the social security hospital is always broke and having to cut corners for lack of money is due to the politicians robbing it like some rob banks.
There could also be something more sinister. But I wouldn’t rule out politics for now. I am conflicted between the two.
RR,
I didn’t fully answer you. Yes, someone at a high level could have been getting rich by cheapening the syrup (lacing it with a poisonous product hoping nobody would find out) and selling the final product at a top price and pocketing the difference. Anything is possible.
When we were kids my Dad had the best cough medicine that worked. Some wine, honey and lemon. It really worked.
Yep, I got your articles and was happy to receive them. Much info there. Thanks.
Lots of scary stuff going on. As much as I sometimes think they overstep their boundaries, I am very greatful for the FDA.
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