Nine people died in Brest and Minsk — all of them were administered the same medication. Bacteria found in the drug
With the help of Belpol, the publication "Zerkalo" obtained documents indicating that from January to May of this year, at least nine patients died in Belarus. All of them were administered an Indian drug during heart surgery, a batch of which the Ministry of Health later ordered to be withdrawn from circulation. The reason is shocking — bacteria were found in the injections.
Illustrative photo. Photo: "Nasha Niva"
Age of the deceased — from 50 to 67 years old
From early January to early March, 13 patients in the Brest Regional Hospital were administered adenosine during heart surgeries. This drug sharply slows down or temporarily stops heart function for several seconds, and also lowers blood pressure. This allows the surgeon to calmly perform a complex stage of the operation with minimal bleeding. The hospital used adenosine under the brand name "Cardiurex".
According to documents available to "Zerkalo", eight out of 13 patients who received the drug died. These were seven men and one woman aged between 50 and 65. Some underwent aortic prosthetics, others had their valves replaced or underwent coronary artery bypass grafting.
After the operations, bacteria were found in the analyses of seven patients. There is no information regarding the research results for the eighth patient. However, it is known that her samples were also taken.
Moreover, in five of those who died in Brest, as evidenced by the documents, sternomediastinitis developed — a severe infectious process where the sternum and tissues inside the chest cavity become inflamed and suppurated. In two cases, sepsis also began (in one case, along with sternomediastinitis). This is a condition where the immune system fails in response to an infection. In two other patients, a generalized infection developed (in one case, it also joined sternomediastinitis). This is a severe disease in which viruses, bacteria, or fungi spread throughout the body beyond the initial focus.
"Cardiurex" was also used during heart surgeries for nine patients at the Minsk Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Cardiology. All of them were admitted to the center from February 17 to March 3. The patients were aged from 41 to 68. Two were from Minsk, seven from the Minsk region.
After the operation, doctors found highly resistant bacteria in all nine patients and also diagnosed sepsis. Eight were saved. A 67-year-old woman died.
What did laboratory tests show?
The documents indicate that patients at the Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Cardiology were administered Adenosin Injection IP 6 mg/ml Cardiurex, manufactured by the Indian company Welcure Remedies. The institution first received 1000 packages of this drug on February 18. How many were supplied to the Brest Regional Hospital is unknown.
At the same time, the documents note: The Brest Regional Hospital did not report the detection of bacteria in patients' blood to either the city or regional center for hygiene and epidemiology. The Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Cardiology, on the contrary, reported it immediately.
An analysis by the Minsk City Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology showed that the drug was non-sterile — Klebsiella oxytoca and Serratia marcescens were found in it. These same bacteria were also found in the analyses of patients at the Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Cardiology who were administered the medication.
It is possible that these were not the only types of bacteria contained in the injection solution. For example, in deceased patients of the Brest Regional Hospital, not only Klebsiella oxytoca was found. In most cases, Acinetobacter baumannii was present, less frequently — Klebsiella pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae.
On March 13, Gosfarmnadzor (State Pharmacological Supervision) reported the situation to the Ministry of Health, which then ordered the withdrawal of drug batch WADG25001A from circulation.
It turned out that the drug was supplied by the Belarusian company "UMB-Pharm". "Minskaya Farmatsiya" (Minsk Pharmacy) concluded an agreement with them at the end of July last year. Among those who received supplies were 24 institutions from across the country, including the Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Cardiology, the Main Health Department of the Brest Regional Executive Committee, and Brest RUP "Farmatsiya".
In total, under the agreement, "UMB-Pharm" was supposed to supply 5943 units of this medicinal product by June 30, 2026. It is unknown whether they were all from one batch or several.
Problems identified by WHO and Indian experts
The World Health Organization also warned about the non-sterility of "Cardiurex" from the Indian manufacturer Welcure Remedies. On May 25, the State Service for Drug Control under the Ministry of Health of Lithuania reported receiving a letter from WHO regarding the danger of the same batch WADG25001A. The organization noted that this drug was not present in Lithuania but, just in case, asked suppliers to report if they had purchased it.
In July, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization of India (CDSCO) included this very batch from Welcure Remedies in the list of drugs that do not meet quality standards. Among the reasons were sterility violation and the presence of bacterial endotoxins. These are, roughly speaking, bacterial residues that, when entering the body, can cause severe inflammation, fever, and in severe cases, sepsis and septic shock.