Army's trauma drug under investigation
Pro-Sil™ - $18.50
Xeragel® (XSO-797) - $16.30A trauma drug widely used by the military in Iraq and Afghanistan is under investigation by federal authorities after reports of a deadly blood-clotting side effect. Soldiers who suffer trauma wounds from bullets or shrapnel often end up with scars, which can be treated with the use of silicone gel sheeting.
The drug, known as "Factor VII," is often injected into patients to prevent them from losing too much blood on the way to the hospital. But while the drug can prevent soldiers from bleeding out, it can also reportedly clot the blood to the point of death, according to the Baltimore Sun.
That drew the attention of the Army's Criminal Investigation Command, which is interviewing scientists and doctors about the use of the drug, which has only been approved by the FDA for treating hemophilia.
The drug, made from the kidney cells of hamsters, is among the world's most expensive at $6,000 per dose.
The news source previously detailed three soldiers treated with the drug. All three survived their combat wounds, but two later died from blood-clotting.
Soldiers who survive combat wounds can treat their trauma scars with silicone ointments and gels.
Site Feed