Richard Knox, NPR health and science correspondent
Kevin Outterson, associate professor, Boston University
An outbreak of fungal meningitis has been linked to contaminated steroids that were injected into an estimated 14,000 people. Two dozen people have died, from fungal meningitis or strokes. It raises questions about where our drugs come from and which organizations oversee their production.
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NEAL CONAN, HOST:
This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Neal Conan in Washington. Two dozen dead and hundreds sickened from contaminated drugs with probably more to come. The outbreak of fungal meningitis has scared many thousands more who received injections of what may have been tainted steroids from a now-closed facility in Massachusetts, which called itself a compounding pharmacy.
Under the law, compounding pharmacies are supposed to fill specific prescriptions for individual patients. This one sent bulk shipments across the country, including 14,000 doses of the potentially tainted steroids to 23 states. Compounding pharmacies fall largely under state laws, which drug manufacturers come under the stringent supervision of the FDA.
If this case raises questions for you about drug safety, give us a call, 800-989-8255. Email us, talk
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