The effects of the fungal meningitis outbreak extend across the entire medical industry. One area the contaminated steroid injections have influenced is the treatment of meningitis. As hundreds of victims suffer through the deadly illness, the victims and their families look for treatments and cures.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) believes that some opportunistic companies are taking advantage of the demand for meningitis treatment, going so far as to misrepresent their products as a “miracle cure” of sorts. Amid all the ongoing fallout from the New England Compounding Center steroid outbreak, the FDA now finds itself reprieving medical device manufacturers who may be taking advantage of meningitis victims. One such company, Avalon Effect Inc., must reconsider its marketing strategy after being warned by the FDA.
Avalon manufacturers light therapy products and advertises them as a treatment and cure for fungal meningitis, among other ailments. However, the manufacturer never received approval to market its light emitting diodes (LED) in this manner.
Avalon’s conduct isn’t unique, unfortunately, as the medical industry is full of intentional rule-breaking. So long as a company makes substantial profits, it will often choose to violate regulations and deal with the consequences later.
If you or a loved one has been seriously harmed by a defective medical device, contact an experienced Detroit personal injury attorney to discuss your legal options.
McKeen & Associates, PC, is a Michigan-based law firm with a national presence. Its attorneys often litigate in the medical field, including malpractice claims.
Source: AboutLawsuits.com, “FDA Warns Light Therapy Manufacturers About Meningitis Treatment Claims,” Martha Garcia, Nov. 7, 2012
