More than 35 people have contracted a deadly form of meningitis after receiving contaminated steroid injections. Of those patients, five have died and that number is expected to grow.
The victims were looking for some relief for lower back pain, but instead they were injected with steroids tainted by a deadly fungus. The nationwide outbreak is attributed to New England Compounding Center (NECC), a pharmacy that makes its own drugs. The medications created by NECC – and other similar manufacturers – are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Federal regulators recently inspected NECC and found steroid injections containing visible fungus contamination.
Regardless of federal regulation – which is clearly too lax – the manufacturer is the one who bears responsibility for its own product. It’s absurd that NECC doesn’t have internal quality controls that caught such a widespread contamination. Victims and surviving families will undoubtedly hold NECC liable for the harm and wrongful deaths caused by the steroid injections.
If you or someone you love has contracted meningitis or another type of deadly infection because of contaminated drugs, contact an experienced Michigan defective medicine attorney.
McKeen & Associates, PC, is a Detroit-based law firm that serves victims of drug recalls throughout the nation. Known for providing elite advocacy in medical injury cases, we have the experience, skills and resources to give victims the best possible outcome.
Source: The New York Times, “In A Drug Linked To A Deadly Meningitis Outbreak, A Question Of Oversight,” Denise Grady, Oct. 4, 2012
