"Barium sulphate 0.10 (H2O)

2022: Counterfeit barium killed three patients during a contrast examination in St. Petersburg

At the end of January 2022, the St. Petersburg Health Committee commented on the incident in its Telegram channel, a few days earlier at the City Advisory and Diagnostic Center (GKDC) No. 1, where several patients died after a contrast examination of the stomach. Death occurred after the use of counterfeit barium sulfate.

We provide all necessary assistance to the investigating authorities in investigating this tragedy, "said Dmitry Lisovets, chairman of the Health Committee. - We attract experts, check the procedure for the purchase of the drug and the job descriptions of the employees of the institution. According to the results, we will present conclusions about the causes of the incident and the persons who committed violations.

Counterfeit barium killed three patients during a contrast examination in St. Petersburg

On January 28, 2022, as part of this case, the head physician of the medical center Evgeny Popov was detained and arrested. According to investigators, he approved an application for the purchase of the drug Barium Sulphate 0.10 (H2O)% at NevaReagent LLC, which is not included in the state register of medicines, cannot be used for medical purposes and poses a danger to human life and health. The drug was purchased and used in the provision of medical services.

On February 1, the Mash on the Wash Telegram channel reported the death of three more elderly women - 63, 76 and 78 years old, who underwent gastroscopy at the GKDC, where earlier, after a similar examination, according to official figures, three patients died and 23 people were injured. The St. Petersburg Health Committee did not receive requests from relatives of the deceased for new deaths. The press service of the Main Investigation Department for St. Petersburg began checking after the appearance of this information.

Evgeny Popov, after the appearance of information about the death of patients, noted that previously no problems arose during similar procedures. According to him, when conducting research at the GKDC, "there have never been complications." After the incident, the gastrography was stopped, and all patients undergoing the procedure in the presence of malaise were asked to contact the center.^[1]1

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