The death toll from the administration of medical-use fentanyl to hospitalized patients has risen to 68. The scandal from earlier this year was distributed in health centers mainly in the provinces of Santa Fe and Buenos Aires, followed by Buenos Aires city.

The case made headlines in May after nine people were confirmed to have died of an infection caused by a contaminated batch of fentanyl produced by pharmaceutical company HLB Pharma and its laboratory Laboratorio Ramallo. Argentine food and drug regulator ANMAT ordered all health centers in Argentina to stop using their fentanyl batch, and ordered the companies to halt all production, measures that remain in place to date.

Patients were infected by bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae MBL and Ralstonia Pickettii after having been administered with fentanyl to treat various affections at numerous institutions. The drug, which is a powerful synthetic opioid, acts as an analgesic and anesthetic used to treat severe pain for people who have just had........

© Buenos Aires Herald