Viral Meningitis

Viral Meningitis | Bacterial Meningitis | Fungal Meningitis | The Maher Law Firm | Frank Eidson Attorney At LawThe fungal meningitis outbreak is not transmitted person to person like viral meningitis and bacterial meningitis are

The outbreak which is the result of a tainted epidural steroid injection manufactured at the New England Compounding Center (NECC) in Framingham, Massachusetts had killed 32 people, made 438 sick and has been reported in 19 states.

Now the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is making a case to Congress that it should have more authority over compounding pharmacies.  Margaret Hamburg, FDA Commissioner is expected to testify that the FDA should have more power to regulate compounding pharmacies.

“The FDA’s authority over compounding pharmacies is more limited by law and needs to be strengthened,” the agency said.  In a hearing memo, the minority side said, that compounders are under-regulated by a “patchwork of laws governing pharmacy compounding.”  and are already calling for more FDA authority over compounders.

Although, the majority is less sympathetic saying, “Why didn’t FDA pursue any enforcement actions against the NECC despite having emphasized in 2003 the potential for serious public health consequences if the company’s compounding practices, in particular those relating to sterile products, were not improved?  Were the FDA’s and the Massachusetts Board of Pharmacy’s enforcement actions appropriate?”

According to the memo, the FDA inspected NECC many times over the past years over problems with contamination much like those that caused the meningitis outbreak.  The memo also noted that the FDA decided in 2003 that the NECC should be regulated as a compounder, by the state.  The FDA’s chief investigator recommended that the NECC be barred from “manufacturing” until the practices were cleaned up.  The chief investigator also recommended the NECC be penalized for violating good manufacturing practices.

If you believe that you or a loved one has suffered injury or death due to a defective or dangerous pharmaceutical, you may have the right to compensation for your injuries.  The Maher Law Firm and Frank M. Eidson would like to help.  We invite you to contact our trial tested Lawyers today.

 

 

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