Poor Conditions at Drug Plant Tied to Meningitis Outbreak
November 13, 2012 - More details are emerging about the unsanitary conditions at the drug plant in Framingham, Mass., that’s linked to a national fungal meningitis outbreak from contaminated injectable steroids.
The CDC reported that the injections caused 312 causes of fungal meningitis and 24 deaths in 17 states. Massachusetts health officials discovered a very unsanitary environment at The New England Compounding Center, the compounding pharmacy that produced the injections.
MedPage Today says the findings included:
- Visibly soiled mats at the entries to sterile areas
- Leaking boiler water near a clean room
- Improperly cleaned protective equipment
- Poor sterilization practices
The tainted steroid – three lots of preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate -- was shipped to 23 states. MedPage Today reports that vials returned after the recall showed visible particles of black matter, and the substance was later confirmed to be the fungus linked to the meningitis cases. The company's license to operate has been permanently lifted.
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