fungal meningitis outbreak from illegally Mass.-produced steroid
Boston Herald. And yes, I meant the pun, going for what seems to be likely: see bolded texts below.
CDC: 13,000 patients got dubious shot
By Chris Cassidy and Gary J. Remal
Tuesday, October 9, 2012 - Updated 5 hours ago
Health officials nationwide are bracing for a massive surge in fungal meningitis potentially tied to a Massachusetts company’s steroid as authorities said yesterday 13,000 people received the suspect shot.
“We know (13,000) have gotten the injection” from vials produced by Framingham-based New England Compounding Center, said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokeswoman Jamila Jones.
The CDC count of cases reached 105 yesterday, including eight deaths.
No vials are believed to have been sent to Massachusetts health care centers, but 17,676 vials were shipped throughout the country to 23 states, including Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.
In Tennessee alone, health officials believe as many as 1,000 people are at risk. In that state yesterday, the numbers rose to 35 cases and four fatalities - the highest rate in the country. The outbreak has sent shock waves of grief and fear through patients and medical professionals.
“This is a very traumatic event in the lives of patients and families, but also clinicians and staff involved,” said Tennessee Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner. “They had no way of knowing these products were contaminated. They thought they were doing something to help. They could have never imagined what they did resulted in harm, and they’re frankly devastated by this.”
Under the law, compounding pharmacies are only allowed to dispense and produce for a single patient, FDA spokeswoman Erica Jefferson said yesterday. The FDA is probing whether NECC mass-produced its potentially contaminated doses. Jefferson noted states have jurisdiction over compounding pharmacies.
Massachusetts lawmakers have said hearings may be needed to address whether state regulators could have prevented the outbreak. Yesterday, Secretary of Health and Human Services JudyAnn Bigby said in a statement that the state acted quickly to keep people safe, pull NECC’s license and notify the public.
“Our joint response and investigation with the FDA will continue until we have all the answers and information we need to determine what if any regulatory changes need to be made at the state and federal level,” Bigby said.
At least three Hub hospitals are scrambling to purge NECC drugs. Brigham & Women’s Hospital has ordered 20 medications and products manufactured by the company be immediately removed, according to a memo to patients and staff. Brigham & Women’s did not purchase the steroid shot linked to the outbreak and none of their NECC products are believed to be contaminated, the hospital said.
Massachusetts General Hospital, which had four NECC lines, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, which had one, also pulled the products. Neither hospital stocked the steroid.
This entry was originally posted at http://thnidu.dreamwidth.org/1081405.html. You can comment here, or there using OpenID or your Dreamwidth ID.
comments there so far.
CDC: 13,000 patients got dubious shot
By Chris Cassidy and Gary J. Remal
Tuesday, October 9, 2012 - Updated 5 hours ago
Health officials nationwide are bracing for a massive surge in fungal meningitis potentially tied to a Massachusetts company’s steroid as authorities said yesterday 13,000 people received the suspect shot.
“We know (13,000) have gotten the injection” from vials produced by Framingham-based New England Compounding Center, said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokeswoman Jamila Jones.
The CDC count of cases reached 105 yesterday, including eight deaths.
No vials are believed to have been sent to Massachusetts health care centers, but 17,676 vials were shipped throughout the country to 23 states, including Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.
In Tennessee alone, health officials believe as many as 1,000 people are at risk. In that state yesterday, the numbers rose to 35 cases and four fatalities - the highest rate in the country. The outbreak has sent shock waves of grief and fear through patients and medical professionals.
“This is a very traumatic event in the lives of patients and families, but also clinicians and staff involved,” said Tennessee Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner. “They had no way of knowing these products were contaminated. They thought they were doing something to help. They could have never imagined what they did resulted in harm, and they’re frankly devastated by this.”
Under the law, compounding pharmacies are only allowed to dispense and produce for a single patient, FDA spokeswoman Erica Jefferson said yesterday. The FDA is probing whether NECC mass-produced its potentially contaminated doses. Jefferson noted states have jurisdiction over compounding pharmacies.
Massachusetts lawmakers have said hearings may be needed to address whether state regulators could have prevented the outbreak. Yesterday, Secretary of Health and Human Services JudyAnn Bigby said in a statement that the state acted quickly to keep people safe, pull NECC’s license and notify the public.
“Our joint response and investigation with the FDA will continue until we have all the answers and information we need to determine what if any regulatory changes need to be made at the state and federal level,” Bigby said.
At least three Hub hospitals are scrambling to purge NECC drugs. Brigham & Women’s Hospital has ordered 20 medications and products manufactured by the company be immediately removed, according to a memo to patients and staff. Brigham & Women’s did not purchase the steroid shot linked to the outbreak and none of their NECC products are believed to be contaminated, the hospital said.
Massachusetts General Hospital, which had four NECC lines, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, which had one, also pulled the products. Neither hospital stocked the steroid.
This entry was originally posted at http://thnidu.dreamwidth.org/1081405.html. You can comment here, or there using OpenID or your Dreamwidth ID.
comments there so far.