Heparin Case Highlights Vulnerabilities of Global Supply Chain

WHO'S NEXT? Baxter's heparin woes, related to a supply chain that stretches all the way to pig farms in China, raise questions about the ability of drug manufacturers to ensure the quality of drugs produced by globally sprawling enterprises. While the search for a root cause continues, some lessons already are clear: you can't always count on FDA or host nation regulators to police suppliers; you can't always be sure of your own ability to routinely detect deadly contaminants; and if something goes wrong, it could be front page news everywhere