Toledoan Leroy Hubley's wife Bonnie died in December. Her body rejected a transplanted kidney and she needed dialysis and the blood-thinner heparin. Three weeks later Bonnie's son, 47-year-old Randy, also taking heparin, died. Popular Toledo radio personality Dennis Staples died in December, his widow blames heparin.
Both Toledo families are suing heparin maker Baxter healthcare, saying the company took too long to issue a warning. Baxter recalled contaminated heparin in January, which had been made from ingredients from China. Officials have linked 81 deaths to the contaminated drug.
Baxter's CEO believes the tainted heparin was no accident, claiming it was changed as part of a deliberate scheme. Yhe company says the current supply of heparin is safe.
