BRATISLAVA
The State Drug Control Institute was ordered by the Health Ministry on January 18 to immediately recall the 5% glucose solution from the German firm Braun Melsungen. The measure came after a tip from Interpol which informed the Slovak Health Ministry that a batch of glucose boxes, also exported to Slovakia, had been mislabelled and may contain potassium chloride instead of glucose.
According to Belgian officials, two infants died in Belgium after ingesting what was supposed to have been glucose. Tampering has not been ruled out, even though the manufacturing process is fully automated.
Braun Melsungen has been exporting glucose solution to Slovakia since 1997. This is the first incident of such a kind. Potassium chloride is used in the manufacturing of fertiliser and people with heart problems can be particularly susceptible to serious complications.
