The Washington Times reported that steroid injections, which have been linked to life-threatening cases of meningitis, may not be the only problem coming out of the New England Compounding Center of Framingham, Mass.
The same pharmacy that appears to be responsible for the increasing number of meningitis cases stemming from steroid shots may be responsible for two other drugs linked to cases of meningitis. The first drug is another type of steroid from the company. The other drug was given to two heart transplant patients who developed fungal infections. Because these cases are still under investigation, it is a waiting game.
Meanwhile, the steroid shots have been linked to 24 deaths and 328 cases of meningitis in 18 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC estimates that there have been approximately 14,000 individuals exposed, so the number of cases could increase. Most of these injections were given to treat neck and back problems. Although the product has been recalled, it may not help those who were exposed prior to the recall.
Symptoms typically have appeared one to four weeks after the injection, although longer periods between exposure and symptoms have been reported, too. Therefore, it could take a few weeks before patients who were exposed could become sick. At this point, doctors aren’t sure why some patients have become ill and others haven’t.
A report from NBC News notes that this could be one of the worst outbreaks of fungal meningitis in the United States. And apparently the methylprednisolone injections responsible for the current outbreak have caused problems in the past. In 2002, epidural injections caused the death of one individual and led four others to become ill. These patients were infected with a fungus called Exophiala. The 2002 outbreak was linked to contaminated bulk drugs as well as faulty sterilization practices at a pharmacy in South Carolina.
If you or someone you love received the injection and became seriously ill, contact New York dangerous drug lawyers from Gacovino, Lake & Associates at 1-800-246-HURT (4878) to discuss the situation and any legal recourse that may be available.
