Tagged: meningitis

  A Massachusetts company has denied negligence in connection with a steroid linked to a fungal meningitis outbreak that has claimed 34 lives nationwide.

New England Compounding Pharmacy filed documents Monday in response to a federal lawsuit in Minnesota. Barbe Puro claims she suffered emotional distress after receiving a steroid that may have been contaminated.

Massachusetts Health and Human Services Secretary JudyAnn Bigby says state overseers and the managers of a compounding pharmacy bear responsibility for a fatal, nationwide outbreak of fungal meningitis. WAMC’s Lucas Willard reports…

Bigby told state lawmakers Wednesday that the Framingham-based New England Compounding Center, which distributed a contaminated steroid that has sickened about 440 people and led to more than 30 deaths, knowingly disregarded sterility tests and prepared medicine in unsanitary conditions.

The head of the Massachusetts health department says investigators still don't know why regulators backed off a severe penalty against a pharmacy now implicated in a deadly meningitis outbreak.

In 2004, after product safety and sterility problems at the New England Compounding Center, the state's pharmacy board proposed an official reprimand and three years' probation for the New England Compounding Center.

The company protested, saying it could destroy the business. In 2006, the board entered into a more lenient, non-disciplinary agreement with NECC.

A Massachusetts company with the same founders as a pharmacy tied to a deadly meningitis outbreak says it's laying off nearly all its employees amid its prolonged closure for inspection. WAMC's Ian Pickus has more..

Ameridose employees were notified of the layoffs Thursday.

A company spokesman says the notice affects 650 employees at Ameridose and 140 employees at its marketing and support arm. He says a small number will be retained amid an ongoing product recall. Ameridose LLC says it hopes the layoffs will be temporary.

A company with the same founders as a specialty pharmacy tied to a deadly meningitis outbreak has agreed to extend its voluntary closure until Nov. 19.

Ameridose shut down for inspection Oct. 10 amid a growing outbreak linked to a tainted steroid made by the New England Compounding Center. Ameridose and NECC have the same founders, Barry Cadden and Greg Conigliaro, though Cadden has since resigned from Ameridose.