Recently, there is a big controversy on cases of
fungal meningitis outbreak related to contaminated steroid shot. First, the
deadly disease fungal meningitis is a rare and usually the result of spread of
a fungus through blood to the spinal cord. It is not contagious from person to
person, but through the bloodstream from somewhere else in the body. People may
also get fungal meningitis after taking meditations that are weaken their
immune system. Examples of these medications include steroids.
Who should
be responsible for this tragedy? Last week, I watched on CNN, a reportage pointing
out the pharmaceutical company located in Framingham, MA which one was at the
center of the deadly outbreak. It seems after investigation that the New
England Compounding Center (NECC) is responsible of the contaminated
injections. In 2006, the Food and drug Administration (FDA) had sent the NECC a
warning letter “detailing significant violations witnessed” by investigators
the previous year. Today, health officials say 76 medical facilities in 23
states received the contaminated steroid injection from that company.
The
federal health inspectors have found at the facilities plant foreign particles
in unopened vials, and after testing one, they determine the substance was
fungus. There are few cases of lawsuit already against the company as well.
Massachusetts, governor Deval Patrick also accused the company of misleading
regulator and operating outside its license by shipping large batches of drug
nationwide. I would suggest avoiding this type of tragedy in the future; the
federal health department must regulate the pharmaceutics companies with
particular attention, when there is a significant violation. If in the past the
company was stopped right away by the FDA, we would probably save hundreds of
lives. The company surrendered its license to operate until the FDA
investigation into the contamination is complete.
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