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Current Supply of Heparin for U.S. Market Not Impacted By African Swine Fever in China

Heparin


Manufacturers of the blood thinner Heparin continue to report that African swine fever in China is not affecting manufacturing and distribution of the medication intended for the U.S. market. Heparin is used in many settings, including as a treatment for heart attack patients. It is also given to patients before and after certain surgeries to prevent blood clots.

The active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in Heparin is derived from pig intestines. Because China supplies a large portion of the API, some people are concerned that the African swine fever outbreak might affect the availability of Heparin. FDA immediately contacted Heparin manufacturers who supply the U.S. market to see if they were facing supply issues. The majority of manufacturers reported no such issues related to African swine fever.

FDA continues to be in regular contact with U.S. Heparin suppliers and manufacturers as this situation evolves.

Consumers should know that there are many makers of Heparin, including manufacturers of generic and synthetic versions. A complete list of these manufacturers is available in FDA’s Orange Book: Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations.

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