Tennessee Hardest Hit in Spinal Meningitis Steroid Injection Outbreak
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), fifteen patients in 15 states have now died as a result of the October 2012 epidural prednisone steroid injection fungal meningitis outbreak. The outbreak began with a steroid injection, suspected of being contaminated, and originating at the New England Compounding Center (NECC) in Massachusetts. The number of cases continues to grow.
While a reported 200 people are being treated for illness in the Eastern United States, Tennessee has the highest death toll so far. The NECC has pulled the suspected injections along with many other products. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ran a 70-page list of the recalled pharmaceuticals.
At the forefront of the controversy is the question of exactly how this type of pharmaceutical industry is regulated. According to a Reuters report, the FDA does not regulate the practice of “compounding” used by the NECC and other similar facilities.
Officials fear that the outbreak has run only about half its course. Nashville University Medical Center infectious diseases expert Dr. William Schaffner warns that the next few weeks will bring more cases. He also expressed concern that “there might be other medications that might be contaminated coming from that pharmacy . . . The FDA has given us a heads up that that looks to be the case.”
Schaffner added, “We’re nowhere near the end of this problem. And we will see more patients reporting in ill and we’ll have to treat many more going forward.”
The result of the alleged contaminated injection is spinal meningitis, a potentially deadly condition. Sufferers of spinal meningitis may begin with few symptoms that worsen over time. Fever, headache, stiffness in the neck and nausea are all common complaints.
The first of what many predict will be numerous lawsuits has been filed by a woman in Tennessee.
Since graduating magna cum laude in 2005 from the University of Memphis School of Law, Thomas has helped make a difference in the lives of victims of serious personal injury, wrongful death, and professional negligence. Thomas has extensive trial experience in both state and federal court. Among other victories in the courtroom, Thomas obtained several impressive jury verdicts and settlements
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