Become a member
Quick Registration
Full Registration Benefits -
Free Homepages for Doctors
Free Homepages for Hospitals
Free Homepages for Medical Conference
Free Homepages for NGO's
Personal Health Record Creation
Access to all Medical Slides
Access to all Jobs & Products Sale
Drug Recalled Over Suspected Meningitis Outbreak in US | |
|
| |
The FDA has ordered recall of contaminated injectable medications suspected to a deadly outbreak of meningitis which claimed five lives and sickened 34 others in six US states.
Public health officials were contacting patients in 23 states who received the potentially contaminated steroid injection -- typically for back pain -- and urging them to be tested for the rare fungal infection.
The hardest-hit state was Tennessee, where health officials said Friday the number of cases had risen to 29, including five deaths.
"I want to again express our sincere sympathy to the patients, family, and friends who've become victims of this tragic situation," state health commissioner John Dreyzehner said at a press conference.
Due to the long incubation period, health officials were urging patients who had received the injection as far back as July 1 to contact their doctors for testing.
Fungal meningitis -- which inflames the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord -- is a rare infection which often goes undetected until it's too late because its flu-like symptoms can be mild at first.
Early detection and treatment -- which requires a hospital stay to administer intravenous anti-fungal medications -- can prevent the infection from causing permanent damage.
An initial investigation found that the Tennessee clinicians who administered the contaminated drug "had no way of knowing" there was anything wrong with it and found "no lapses" in their standards, Dreyzehner said.
"The evidence indicates this is a product issue," he told reporters.
The Food and Drug Administration said it has detected a fungal contaminant in a sealed vial of the drug produced by the New England Compounding Center.
While further testing is required to confirm it was the source of the outbreak, the company has issued a recall of all of its products and shut down all operations.
Source-AFP
| |
|
|
More News on: Drug Toxicity, Japanese Encephalitis, Hib Vaccine, Meningitis, Signature Drug Toxicity, Drugs Banned in India
 Comment & Contribute
|
Related Links
Meningitis - Causes - Symptoms - Diagnosis - Treatment - FAQs
Meningitis is the infection and inflammation of the meninges. Meninges are membranes around the brain and spinal cord, and sometimes the ...
Africa Launches Huge Immunization Campaign Against Meningitis
Seven African countries have launched a massive vaccination campaign on Thursday in a bid to protect 50 million people against meningitis. ...
$35 billion needed globally for immunization
Globally $35 billion will be required for immunization in the next ten years to save an additional ten million lives. The money will ...
Drug Related News
EU Agency Says Acne Pill Benefits Outweigh Blood Clot Risk
The benefits of acne drug Diane-35, also widely used as a contraceptive, outweigh the risk of developing blood clots in the veins, said Europe's ...
Statins Cut Exercise Benefits
Simvastatin a type of statin was found to hinder the positive effects of exercise for obese and overweight adults. Statins, the ...
New Drug Enhances Radiation Treatment for Brain Cancer
A novel drug may significantly help increase the effectiveness of radiation therapy for the most deadly form of brain cancer, say scientists at ...
Experts Issue Warning Against Online Sexual Enhancement Pills
Health experts have warned people against purchasing sexual enhancement pills from stores or from the internet as they often are a dangerous ...
Powerful Painkiller Discovered in Canadian Black Market
A Can$3 million (US$3 million) drug stash was found by Montreal police that included their first ever black market discovery of a synthetic drug that ...
- Health News Index
|
|
- News Quick Links
 |
Meningitis
Complete Medindia Resources
|
| News Categories: |
| » | Link Between Agent Orange Exposure and Prostate Cancer |
| » | Tumour Growth Mechanism Goes a Step Further |
| » | Link Between Skin Cancer and Lower Risk of Alzheimer's Disease Identified |
| » | Molecular Profiling Timely for Tailoring Therapy Shown By First Prospective Trial |
| » | Broad Support for Rationing of Some Types of Cancer Care Found By Penn Medicine Study |
| More Cancer News | |
|
Ask an Expert
