Pakistan Heart Drug Death Toll Reaches 100

Posted January 26th, 2012 at 7:25 am (UTC-5)
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Authorities in Pakistan say the the number of people who have died after taking tainted heart medication has reached 100.

Health officials in Punjab province said Thursday that another 300 patients remain hospitalized in the city of Lahore.

The state-run Punjab Institute of Cardiology provided the heart medication to people free of charge.

Police have so far arrested the owners of three pharmaceutical companies suspected of supplying the medicine to the institute.

Samples of the drugs have been sent to Europe for testing.

Health officials say patients taking the heart medication were brought to the hospital with a rapid drop in white blood cells and platelets and damage to bone marrow.

Punjab's Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif Thursday vowed strict action against those responsible for the faulty drugs.