Meningitis Outbreak Sparks Product Recalls
In October 2012, federal regulators examined the operations of a drug producer linked to the drug producer that caused a meningitis outbreak. The regulators discovered that this drug producer could not provide enough proof that there was no risk of contamination in their products. Authorities believed that the products could potentially pose a hazard to human health. The drug producer responded to the concerns by issuing a voluntary recall of its products.
The drug producer supplies approximately 2,200 drug products, including anesthetics, antibiotics and tranquilizers. The medications are administrated through injectable or oral syringes or medicine bags. The company is based in Massachusetts and sells these products to hospitals around the United States.
Meningitis outbreak
This drug producer issuing the recall is the sister company of the producer responsible for the meningitis outbreak. That producer released fungal-tainted steroid medication. The meningitis outbreak resulted at least 377 people being infected with meningitis or joint infections. As of October 2012, there have been 29 deaths due to the meningitis outbreak.
An examination of procedures
The drug producer that caused the meningitis outbreak and its sister producer are separate companies. However, because they are owned by some of the same people and follow similar procedures, federal regulators wanted to examine the processes at the sister company as well. The regulators were not satisfied that the company took sufficient efforts to avoid contamination at that facility.
The recall
Unlike previous recalls due to the meningitis outbreak, regulators believe the recall of products from the sister producer is a precautionary measure only. There have been no reports of patients sickened due to medicines from this producer. Unlike with the meningitis outbreak, patients who have used drugs from this producer will not need to be tracked down.
The producer is cooperating with regulators and hoping to encourage customer confidence by recalling products. The company assured the public that they have not had any contamination problems since the company was founded in 2006. Over the course of its operation, the producer claims to have distributed approximately 70 million products.
In the wake of the meningitis outbreak many are comforted by the fact that regulators are doing their best to avoid another such outbreak. If you or a family member has been a victim of medical or pharmaceutical malpractice, you may need an attorney. An attorney can help you get what you need to recover and move forward.
