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Khaleej Times
21 hours ago
- Health
- Khaleej Times
Argentina: At least 100 dead after receiving tainted medical fentanyl
The death toll from contaminated fentanyl administered in Argentina's hospitals grew to over 100 on Thursday, the government said, blaming a local pharma lab as outrage grew over the slow response to the crisis. Since May, the country has been trying to determine how many deaths were linked to bacteria-infected supplies of the drug used in hospitals in four provinces as well as the capital Buenos Aires. Ariel Furfaro Garcia, the owner of HLB Pharma group, was the "manufacturer of the batch of contaminated fentanyl responsible for the deaths of more than 100 people," a spokesperson for Argentina's libertarian President Javier Milei said in a statement. Following an investigation, Argentina's drug regulatory agency ANMAT had shut down the lab three months before the first deaths from the tainted fentanyl occurred, the statement added. Furfaro Garcia has previously denied claims that he was responsible, blaming a former colleague for planting the story in the media, according to newspaper reports. Two weeks ago, relatives of victims protested outside a hospital in the city of La Plata south of Buenos Aires, where the first deaths were reported, demanding "justice for the fentanyl victims." The latest increase in the death toll comes just weeks before September 7 legislative elections in Buenos Aires province, which is the most populous in the country. The vote is considered a prelude to October's national mid-term legislative elections, which will serve as a popularity test of the self-described "anarcho-capitalist" Milei. At a campaign rally in La Plata, Milei accused the followers of his arch-nemesis, left-wing ex-president Cristina Kirchner, of an "atrocious cover-up" of Furfaro Garcia's involvement in the fentanyl deaths, without providing evidence. Calling Furfaro a "longtime Kirchnerist associate," he accused his rivals of getting "getting away with any atrocity." A probe into the fentanyl deaths first arose from a complaint filed by ANMAT, which had received a report from a hospital that discovered the tainted drug in its supply, an employee of the agency told AFP on condition of anonymity. Experts have warned that the death toll could rise as new medical records are reviewed and cases are confirmed in hospitals that to date had not reported any fentanyl-linked deaths.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Tainted fentanyl blamed for 87 hospital deaths in Argentina
BUENOS AIRES: At least 87 people have died in Argentina after being administered bacteria-infected fentanyl in hospitals, a judge investigating the deaths said Wednesday. Since May, a court has been trying to determine how many deaths are linked to batches of the drug contaminated with the bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae and Ralstonia pickettii. The suspected toll has soared since then, with family members holding protests outside hospitals demanding justice. The probe arose from a complaint filed by Argentina's drug regulatory agency, Anmat, which had received a report from a hospital that discovered the tainted drug in its supply, an Anmat employee told AFP on condition of anonymity. The deaths have occurred in hospitals in the city and province of Buenos Aires, and in three other provinces, the judge leading the investigation, Ernesto Kreplak, told The Nation daily newspaper in an article published Wednesday. At least 24 people have been questioned and had their assets frozen by the court. They include Ariel Furfaro Garcia, owner of HLB Pharma and Ramallo Laboratories, which allegedly produced and sold the contaminated drug, The Nation reported. He denied the claims and blamed a former colleague for having planted the story in the media. 'This was fabricated by the media. All the clinical histories show that the patients had other, more dangerous bacteria, people with serious problems,' Furfaro Garcia told the daily newspaper Clarin. According to The Nation, at least five contaminated batches were distributed to eight hospitals and health centers in the country, although the investigation is looking at clinical histories from 200 hospitals. Two weeks ago, relatives of victims demonstrated outside the Italian Hospital in La Plata, 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of Buenos Aires, where the first deaths were reported, demanding 'justice for the fentanyl victims.' 'The fentanyl caused his death in a matter of days,' Alejandro Ayala, whose brother Leonel died at the age of 32, told AFP. Experts have warned that the death toll could rise as new medical records are reviewed and cases are confirmed in hospitals that to date had not reported any fentanyl-linked deaths. Argentina's Congress on Wednesday submitted 26 questions related to the case to the Executive branch of the government, but no deadline has been set for their response - AFP
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Health
- New Straits Times
Bacteria-laced fentanyl sparks Argentina's deadliest hospital scandal, killing 87
BUENOS AIRES: At least 87 people have died in Argentina after being administered bacteria-infected fentanyl in hospitals, a judge investigating the deaths said Wednesday. Since May, a court has been trying to determine how many deaths are linked to batches of the drug contaminated with the bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae and Ralstonia pickettii. The suspected toll has soared since then, with family members holding protests outside hospitals demanding justice. The probe arose from a complaint filed by Argentina's drug regulatory agency, Anmat, which had received a report from a hospital that discovered the tainted drug in its supply, an Anmat employee told AFP on condition of anonymity. The deaths have occurred in hospitals in the city and province of Buenos Aires, and in three other provinces, the judge leading the investigation, Ernesto Kreplak, told The Nation daily newspaper in an article published Wednesday. At least 24 people have been questioned and had their assets frozen by the court. They include Ariel Furfaro Garcia, owner of HLB Pharma and Ramallo Laboratories, which allegedly produced and sold the contaminated drug, The Nation reported. He denied the claims and blamed a former colleague for having planted the story in the media. "This was fabricated by the media. All the clinical histories show that the patients had other, more dangerous bacteria, people with serious problems," Furfaro Garcia told the daily newspaper Clarin. According to The Nation, at least five contaminated batches were distributed to eight hospitals and health centers in the country, although the investigation is looking at clinical histories from 200 hospitals. Two weeks ago, relatives of victims demonstrated outside the Italian Hospital in La Plata, 60 kilometres (37 miles) south of Buenos Aires, where the first deaths were reported, demanding "justice for the fentanyl victims." "The fentanyl caused his death in a matter of days," Alejandro Ayala, whose brother Leonel died at the age of 32, told AFP. Experts have warned that the death toll could rise as new medical records are reviewed and cases are confirmed in hospitals that to date had not reported any fentanyl-linked deaths. Argentina's Congress on Wednesday submitted 26 questions related to the case to the Executive branch of the government, but no deadline has been set for their response. - AFP
Japan Today
2 days ago
- Health
- Japan Today
Tainted fentanyl blamed for 87 hospital deaths in Argentina
Relatives of victims of fentanyl contamination have staged protests to demand justice in Argentina At least 87 people have died in Argentina after being administered bacteria-infected fentanyl in hospitals, a judge investigating the deaths said Wednesday. Since May, a court has been trying to determine how many deaths are linked to batches of the drug contaminated with the bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae and Ralstonia pickettii. The suspected toll has soared since then, with family members holding protests outside hospitals demanding justice. The probe arose from a complaint filed by Argentina's drug regulatory agency, Anmat, which had received a report from a hospital that discovered the tainted drug in its supply, an Anmat employee told AFP on condition of anonymity. The deaths have occurred in hospitals in the city and province of Buenos Aires, and in three other provinces, the judge leading the investigation, Ernesto Kreplak, told The Nation daily newspaper in an article published Wednesday. At least 24 people have been questioned and had their assets frozen by the court. They include Ariel Furfaro Garcia, owner of HLB Pharma and Ramallo Laboratories, which allegedly produced and sold the contaminated drug, The Nation reported. He denied the claims and blamed a former colleague for having planted the story in the media. "This was fabricated by the media. All the clinical histories show that the patients had other, more dangerous bacteria, people with serious problems," Furfaro Garcia told the daily newspaper Clarin. According to The Nation, at least five contaminated batches were distributed to eight hospitals and health centers in the country, although the investigation is looking at clinical histories from 200 hospitals. Two weeks ago, relatives of victims demonstrated outside the Italian Hospital in La Plata, 60 kilometers south of Buenos Aires, where the first deaths were reported, demanding "justice for the fentanyl victims." "The fentanyl caused his death in a matter of days," Alejandro Ayala, whose brother Leonel died at the age of 32, told AFP. Experts have warned that the death toll could rise as new medical records are reviewed and cases are confirmed in hospitals that to date had not reported any fentanyl-linked deaths. Argentina's Congress on Wednesday submitted 26 questions related to the case to the Executive branch of the government, but no deadline has been set for their response. © 2025 AFP
