The nitty-gritty and nuances may not yet be known, but some insights can be gleaned into what Baxter did - and didn’t do - as the Heparin controversy unfolded by reading The Chicago Tribune. The paper pieced together a chronology along with some context into the problems surrounding the FDA and plant inspections, in general.

To underscore its command of crisis management, Baxter tells the paper that its ceo, Bob Parkinson, began having early meetings each day and made regular surprise visits to other execs to learn what was going on. And that’s how he learned that the FDA never inspected the Chinese plant suspected as the culprit behind the questionable blood thinner.

Baxter, however, wasn’t forthcoming about everything. For instance, the Trib writes that a doc at St. Louis Chidren’s Hospital first linked Heparin with allergic reactions among kidney dialysis patients on Jan. 4. But Baxter had already nine suspect lots and adverse reactions were being reported at rates 20 times normal rates. But 10 more days passed before Baxter issued the recall and Baxter wouldn’t comment on the delay. Here’s the full story.