Porcine products and religious beliefs

[Anna-Lisa Athaide]

Hello

For patients that have restrictions on pork-related products based on religious beliefs, do you avoid use of heparin/LMWH and/or offer alternative choice?

I’ve read the following:
“In general, practicing Muslims avoid eating pork or drinking alcohol, and are proscribed from taking medicines that contain alcohol or pig byproducts unless they are life-saving drugs and no substitute is available. Porcine heparin, for example, contains gelatin from pork products, and is the only heparin universally used.”

“That was thought to cause a potential problem for Jewish, Muslim, and Seventh-day Adventist patients at this institution,” says Doha Hamza, the coordinator of Muslim volunteers at the spiritual care service department at Stanford (CA) University Medical Center. “We investigated the issue with an imam and a Muslim doctor who concurred that the use of porcine heparin is lawful because of the chemical modification the product undergoes and the urgent need involved. Also the amount is so small, it doesn’t fit the definition of consumption.” Similar solutions might be found for insulin products derived from pork and porcine heart valves.

this is from: http://globalrph. mediwire.com/main/Default. aspx?P=Content&ArticleID= 158977. Cultural Competence: Caring for your Muslim patients
Source: Medical Economics – By: Dorothy L. Pennachio – Originally published: May 6, 2005

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