Deadly meningitis outbreak could have been prevented

In 2003 the FDA had in mind to shut down the New England Compounding Center (NECC) that recently caused the meningitis outbreak in several states of America. The Massachusetts pharmacy manufactured tainted Methylprednisolone Acetate injections. Over 400 persons who administered the tainted steroid injections got fungal meningitis. This disease turned out to be fatal for 39 persons.
According to a late report released by the House of Energy and Commerce Committee, the meningitis outbreak could have been prevented. The report presented many cases related to the NECC which should have been shut down by the FDA earlier.
The FDA stated in 2003 that the Massachusetts pharmacy should not have manufactured drugs till improving of the situation. But finally the FDA didn’t ban manufacture of drugs at the NECC. Since the NECC was considered to be a pharmacy, it should have been ruled by Massachusetts officials. So, the FDA let Massachusetts colleagues to resolve the problem. As for Massachusetts officials, they didn’t ban manufacture of medicines at once. The NECC continued to produce preparations. Just Barry Cadden, the owner of the NECC, received reprimand.
Moreover, the Massachusetts pharmacy was accused of certain illicit operations. The company acted improperly under its license. Being a pharmacy, the NECC acted as a manufacturer and sent thousands dosages of drugs to hospitals and individual patients.
In 2002 some persons suffered from unusual side results after they had used bethamethasone injections manufactured by the NECC.
Later certain individuals who administered methylprednisolone acetate injections produced by the Massachusetts pharmacy were sickened with bacterial meningitis. Since these individuals received complete recovery because of antibiotics, the case was forgotten. The Massachusetts company was not sanctioned for the tainted injections.
These and even several other cases manifest that the Massachusetts pharmacy should have sanctioned earlier. The Compounding Center should have been closed for its illegal and inappropriate operations. But the NECC was never sentenced to any serious penalties. As a result, the company continued to manufacture medicines that were dangerous for consumers’ health. Finally, the meningitis outbreak caused by contaminated injections of the NECC spread to certain states and sickened a lot of persons. If the pharmacy had been shut down earlier, the contamination with deadly fungal meningitis would not have occurred.