When Pigs Fly: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Navigating a Critical Heparin Shortage.

ABSTRACT: A recent outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in China has claimed the lives of millions of pigs, and although this virus has no health impacts on humans, the disruption of the global pig population has far-reaching negative impacts on economic and pork-derived products, including the creation of the critical drug heparin. The active pharmaceutical ingredient in heparin is derived from pig intestines, and because of the ASF outbreak, the U.S. faces an imminent shortage of heparin. This drug shortage has the potential for profound implications, as heparin is used in a substantial and varied number of medical conditions. In response to notification of the heparin shortage crisis, our institution, Massachusetts General Hospital, activated its Hospital Incident Command System to streamline or

SUBMITTER: Rosovsky RP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7160421 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature