Chelation-related death

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  May, 2006  by Jule Klotter

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In August 2005, a five-year-old autistic boy died during intravenous chelation therapy at a physician's office near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His death was the result of using the wrong chelating agent, according to Dr. Mary Jean Brown, chief of Lead Poisoning Prevention for the Centers for Disease Control. The autopsy report shows that the child's blood calcium was below five milligrams, which caused his heart to stop beating. (Normal is between seven and nine.) Dr. Brown said that the child had received Edetate Disodium (Endrate), instead of Edetate Calcium Disodium (Calcium Disodium Versenate), by mistake. Edetate Disodium is used in emergencies to remove calcium from the blood of people with hypercalcemia. Edetate Calcium Disodium is an injectable chelating agent, approved by the FDA for the removal of lead. Dr. Brown said the same error occurred three years ago when an Oregon woman died while receiving chelation for clogged arteries and, also, in May 2005, when a two-year-old in Texas received the wrong agent while being treated for lead poisoning.

Calcium Disodium Versenate (3M). Available at www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic2/canaversenate.htm. Accessed February 3, 2006.

Edetate. Available at www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic3/edta.htm. Accessed February 3, 2006.

Kane K. Drug error, not chelation therapy, killed boy, expert says. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 18, 2006. Available at www.post-gazette.com/pg/pp/06018/639721.stm. Accessed January 18, 2006.

Kane K, Linn V. Boy dies during autism treatment. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. August 25, 2005. Available at www.post-gazette.com/pg/052370559756.stm. Accessed February 3, 2006.

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