With over 400 people sickened and over 30 people dead, political and legal fallout from the fungal meningitis outbreak has begun. The outbreak began when contaminated methylprednisolone steroid injections for back pain were distributed by New England Compounding Center (NECC).
The director of Massachusetts’ pharmacy board has been fired and its attorney has been suspended for failing to notify that NECC was mass producing and distributing drugs without a license. Two congressional hearings have been scheduled because of the outbreak, with NECC’s co-owner and managing pharmacist under subpoena. NECC has recalled all of its drugs and was forced to shut down after inspections showcased unsanitary production conditions and other contaminated drugs.
More details about the outbreak have also been emerging. Of the three lots identified as contaminated, one of the lots was even more contaminated than the others, with patients receiving injections from that lot at a higher risk of contracting meningitis. It is believe that the longer the product went unused, the more contaminated it became. And the more injections a patient received, the more likely he or she was to contract the illness.
See the news article here.
Legal action against NECC and other parties has begun. If you or a loved one was affected by the New England Compounding Center steroidal recall, contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at (800) 333-0000 for a free consultation. You may be entitled to compensation.
