Celobar incident

Last updated

The Celobar incident was a pharmaceutical fraud that occurred in Brazil in 2003, and resulted in the death of more than twenty [1] X-ray patients by barium poisoning. [2] [3]

Laboratório Enila was a small Brazilian pharmaceutics manufacturer who made an oral X-ray contrast medium trademarked Celobar. The medium's main ingredient was pharmaceutics-grade barium sulfate (BaSO4) imported from Germany. In 2003, without having the necessary expertise or authorization, they tried to manufacture BaSO4 in-house from much-cheaper technical-grade barium carbonate (BaCO3).

Non-reacted carbonate and other barium salts that remained in the adulterated product killed nine patients. The first death was Ricardo Diomedes, who had taken Celobar on May 21, 2003, at a clinic in Nova Iguaçu near Rio de Janeiro. A few hours later, he was suffering from vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pains, and weakness; he died the next day in Nilópolis. Postmortem exams confirmed that barium poisoning was the cause of death. Analysis of the Celobar by the Oswaldo Cruz Institute showed up to 14% unreacted carbonate (the maximum allowed limit being 0.001%). [3] The other eight deaths occurred in the state of Goiás, where most of the contaminated lot had been shipped.

Authorities were warned after the first deaths, recalled the lot, and closed the laboratory, which eventually went bankrupt.

On January 29, 2009, Enila's CEO (Márcio D'Icahahy Câmara Lima), and the chemist who carried out the synthesis (Antônio Carlos Fonseca da Silva) were sentenced to 20 and 22 years in jail, respectively. [2] [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barium</span> Chemical element, symbol Ba and atomic number 56

Barium is a chemical element; it has symbol Ba and atomic number 56. It is the fifth element in group 2 and is a soft, silvery alkaline earth metal. Because of its high chemical reactivity, barium is never found in nature as a free element.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alkaline earth metal</span> Group of chemical elements

The alkaline earth metals are six chemical elements in group 2 of the periodic table. They are beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), and radium (Ra). The elements have very similar properties: they are all shiny, silvery-white, somewhat reactive metals at standard temperature and pressure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baryte</span> Barium sulfate mineral

Baryte, barite or barytes ( or ) is a mineral consisting of barium sulfate (BaSO4). Baryte is generally white or colorless, and is the main source of the element barium. The baryte group consists of baryte, celestine (strontium sulfate), anglesite (lead sulfate), and anhydrite (calcium sulfate). Baryte and celestine form a solid solution (Ba,Sr)SO4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magnesium sulfate</span> Chemical compound with formula MgSO4

Magnesium sulfate or magnesium sulphate is a chemical compound, a salt with the formula MgSO4, consisting of magnesium cations Mg2+ (20.19% by mass) and sulfate anions SO2−4. It is a white crystalline solid, soluble in water but not in ethanol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lead(II) sulfate</span> Chemical compound

Lead(II) sulfate (PbSO4) is a white solid, which appears white in microcrystalline form. It is also known as fast white, milk white, sulfuric acid lead salt or anglesite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zinc sulfate</span> Chemical compound

Zinc sulfate describes a family of inorganic compounds with the formula ZnSO4(H2O)x. All are colorless solids. The most common form includes water of crystallization as the heptahydrate, with the formula ZnSO4·7H2O. As early as the 16th century it was prepared on the large scale, and was historically known as "white vitriol" (the name was used, for example, in 1620s by the collective writing under the pseudonym of Basil Valentine). Zinc sulfate and its hydrates are colourless solids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barium sulfate</span> Inorganic chemical compound

Barium sulfate (or sulphate) is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula BaSO4. It is a white crystalline solid that is odorless and insoluble in water. It occurs as the mineral barite, which is the main commercial source of barium and materials prepared from it. Its opaque white appearance and its high density are exploited in its main applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barium oxide</span> Chemical compound used in cathode ray tubes

Barium oxide, also known as baria, is a white hygroscopic non-flammable compound with the formula BaO. It has a cubic structure and is used in cathode ray tubes, crown glass, and catalysts. It is harmful to human skin and if swallowed in large quantity causes irritation. Excessive quantities of barium oxide may lead to death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Detonautas</span> Brazilian rock band

Detonautas is a Brazilian rock band from Rio de Janeiro. Usually the lyrics of their songs relate to violence, political corruption and love.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barium chloride</span> Chemical compound

Barium chloride is an inorganic compound with the formula BaCl2. It is one of the most common water-soluble salts of barium. Like most other water-soluble barium salts, it is a white powder, highly toxic, and imparts a yellow-green coloration to a flame. It is also hygroscopic, converting to the dihydrate BaCl2·2H2O, which are colourless crystals with a bitter salty taste. It has limited use in the laboratory and industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Federal University of Paraná</span> University in Paraná, Brazil

The Federal University of Paraná is a public university headquartered in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. UFPR is considered to be one of the oldest universities in Brazil.

Christopher Glaser, a pharmaceutical chemist of the 17th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strontium carbonate</span> Chemical compound

Strontium carbonate (SrCO3) is the carbonate salt of strontium that has the appearance of a white or grey powder. It occurs in nature as the mineral strontianite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strontium sulfate</span> Chemical compound

Strontium sulfate (SrSO4) is the sulfate salt of strontium. It is a white crystalline powder and occurs in nature as the mineral celestine. It is poorly soluble in water to the extent of 1 part in 8,800. It is more soluble in dilute HCl and nitric acid and appreciably soluble in alkali chloride solutions (e.g. sodium chloride).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sérgio Cabral Filho</span> Brazilian politician

Sérgio de Oliveira Cabral Santos Filho is a Brazilian politician and a journalist

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barium sulfate suspension</span> Contrast agent used during X-rays

Barium sulfate suspension, often simply called barium, is a contrast agent used during X-rays. Specifically it is used to improve visualization of the gastrointestinal tract on plain X-ray or computed tomography. It is taken by mouth or used rectally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cobalt(II) thiocyanate</span> Chemical compound

Cobalt(II) thiocyanate is an inorganic compound with the formula Co(SCN)2. The anhydrous compound is a coordination polymer with a layered structure. The trihydrate, Co(SCN)2(H2O)3, is a isothiocyanate complex used in the cobalt thiocyanate test (or Scott test) for detecting cocaine. The test has been responsible for widespread false positives and false convictions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barium ferrate</span> Chemical compound

Barium ferrate is the chemical compound of formula BaFeO4. This is a rare compound containing iron in the +6 oxidation state. The ferrate(VI) ion has two unpaired electrons, making it paramagnetic. It is isostructural with BaSO4, and contains the tetrahedral [FeO4]2− anion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 swine flu pandemic in Brazil</span>

The 2009 swine flu pandemic in Brazil began on April 25, 2009, with two people, spreading to 34 over the first two weeks. CDC calculate that Africa and Southeast Asia, which have 38% of the world's population, accounted for a disproportionate 51% of the deaths.

References

  1. TUBINO, M.: SIMONI, J. A. Reflecting about Celobar® case. New Chemist. n. 2, 2007.
  2. 1 2 Caso Celobar: diretores do laboratório fabricante do medicamento são condenados. Court Sentence Summary (in Portuguese) by JusBrasil Notícias Jurídicas, extracted from the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice proceedings of January 30, 2009. Accessed on 2009-06-30.
  3. 1 2 3 Justiça condena 2 por mortes por Celobar. Folha de S.Paulo, January 30, 2009. Online version accessed on 2009-06030.