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Tainted Medicine and Viral Meningitis — Death Toll Rises to Seven

10/9/2012
Blog
BY

According to the Associated Press (7) people have died from tainted steroids produced by The New England Compounding Center in Massachusetts.

So far 60 cases have been discovered in 9 states; including right here in Florida. There are (8) facilities in Florida confirmed to have received the tainted lots:

  • Lot No. 05212012@68,
  • Lot No. 06292012@26
  • Lot No. 08102012@51)

These include health care centers Florida Pain Clinic, Marion Pain Management Center (Ocala) and Surgery Center of Ocala and the Orlando Center for Outpatient Surgery. And, potentially affects patients who received the injection from July 30 through September 28, 2012.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Florida Department of Health (DOH) are actively working on quarantining the distributed medication. It is believed that due to ineffective quality controls a dangerous fungus has been grown out in these lots of medicines.  Experts advise consumers to watch for symptoms like fever, headache, and nausea. Some of these symptoms can take weeks to develop, but should not be casually dismissed.

As someone who represents and speaks with injured victims of negligence and tragic accidents every day, I can understand the terror these folks are experiencing as all this unfolds. The ominous fear of not knowing and having to wait to see whether you develop symptoms is terrifying.

The threat of viral meningitis is real and has potentially life threatening results. Meningitis is an inflammation of membranes, called meninges, protecting the brain and the spinal cord. In these cases the infective agent seems limited to a virus, but meningitis can also be caused by bacterial and other microorganisms. Viral meningitis requires a lumbar puncture to obtain cerebrospinal fluid and determination of whether the virus is present. Most often, it is treated with antiviral and corticosteroid medications.

Our firm is working to help those exposed to this tainted medication. Through our investigation and research we intend to better understand how these contaminated lots occurred and were then released to unsuspecting consumers.

Once the cause of this tragedy is better understood, we will be in a position to craft the best advice and the most effective course of action for our clients.

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