FDA cites 62 reports of possible heparin deaths

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. regulators have received 62 reports of deaths during the last 15 months of patients who were treated with the blood-thinner heparin and suffered allergic reactions or low blood pressure, the Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday.

Those are the problems that prompted Baxter International Inc to recall most of its heparin products in February.

Baxter spokeswoman Erin Gardiner reiterated that the company believes four deaths may be linked to its version of heparin. APP Pharmaceuticals spokeswoman Maili Bergman said none of the 62 cases cited by the FDA were associated with its brand of the blood thinner.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine)