Posted on 10/08/2012 12:17:12 PM PDT by Selene
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported 91 cases in nine states on Sunday, up from 64 on Saturday.
Health authorities scrambled on Monday to identify more cases of a rare form of meningitis, including enlisting local police to find people who might be infected by tainted steroid injections that have so far killed seven people.
The widening outbreak has alarmed federal and state health officials and focused attention on regulation of pharmaceutical compounding companies like the one that produced the drugs, the New England Compounding Center Inc in Framingham, Massachusetts.
In Ohio, health officials said Monday they are mobilizing community resources, including sheriff's offices, to check on patients who have received the injections.
"If that means knocking on doors, then that's what they will do," said Beth Bickford, executive director at the Association of Ohio Health Commissioners, in a statement Monday. The state has so far reported one case of fungal meningitis likely caused by a tainted epidural steroid injection.
(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...
“The company shipped 17,676 vials of the steroid methylprednisolone acetate to 76 facilities in 23 states from July through September, the Massachusetts Health Department said.”
“The nine states where fungal meningitis cases have been reported are Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia.”
“The steroid was sent to California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia, the CDC said.”
Its good they are being proactive and doing what they can to stop this from spreading? beyond .0001%? of the population.
They stopped the big bird flu a few years back by being proactive.
KNOCK, KNOCK!
Official: "Are you feeling sick?"
Homeowner: "No."
Official: "I notice you are registered as a Democrat, have you been to the polls yet?"
Just had a shot last month. I have degenerative disc disease and need one every three months or so. Pretty glad I’m in Arkansas right now!
Here is a list of the facilities that received the tainted lots:
http://www.cdc.gov/hai/outbreaks/meningitis-facilities-map.html
Yes, but what is up with this?
New England Compounding Center Issues
Voluntary Nationwide Recall of All Products
http://www.neccrx.com/
Here is a list of the many, many all products (includes lidocaine,morphene,fentanyl)
http://www.neccrx.com/List_of_all_products_manufactured_since_January_2012.pdf
Hmmm, most interesting the recall of all products isn’t being reported.
Getting Knuckle Dragging LEO’s involved means it will be a tough couple days to be a dog.
Are speculating that there has been product tampering?
“Compounding pharmacies often obtain drugs from manufacturers and then split them into smaller doses, or mix ingredients sold in bulk. Any of those steps can easily lead to contamination if sterile conditions aren’t maintained. For example, the fungus suspected in the current meningitis outbreak can spread in the air.
The risks from these products have long been known but are being amplified now by a national shortage of many drugs that has forced doctors to seek custom-made alternatives to the usual first-choice treatments. The steroid suspected in the current outbreak has been in short supply.
‘‘Because of the incredible number of drugs that are out of stock or back-ordered, compounding pharmacies are working with local hospitals, clinics and physicians to fill that gap,’’
It’s not contagious, so “spreading” is not really an issue.
I’ve been thinking terrorism wrt this problem from the get go. The timing is too close for comfort to the other major terror attacks and the bank database hacking incidents.
But I’ve not heard anyone on the news go there .
I had a shot last month too. I have spinal stenosis and herniated discs. I live in MO and it wasn’t on the list. My son in VA called yesterday to check on me. He didn’t know what states received the tainted meds but was concerned our state was involved.
Sadly, we never know what meds or treatments are going to be on the list next. It becomes a real act of faith to get any treatment these days.
I hope you continue to get relief with the shots. I think I am at my limit for a time. Back pain is sure the pits.
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