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WE'RE WORKING A
NUMBER OF NEW
DEVELOPMENTS IN A
NATIONWIDE MENINGITIS
OUTBREAK LINKED TO A
MASSACHUSETTS
SPECIALTY PHARMACY.
TONIGHT WE'VE LEARNED
FEDERAL HEALTH
INSPECTORS WANTED TO
SHUT DOWN THE "NEW
ENGLAND COMPOUNDING
CENTER" MORE THAN A
DECADE AGO --
THAT'S THE SAME
FRAMINGHAM COMPANY
IMPLICATED IN HUNDREDS
OF ILLNESSES AND
DOZENS OF DEATHS
ACROSS THE U-S.
AND NOW LAWMAKERS
ON BOTH BEACON HILL
AND CAPITOL HILL ARE
LOOKING FOR ANSWERS.
EYEWITNESS NEWS
REPORTER NICOLE
ESTAPHAN IS LIVE IN THE
NEWSROOM NOW WITH
THE LATEST
DEVELOPMENTS.
(NE)
HEARINGS ARE
SCHEDULED TOMORROW
BOTH AT THE
MASSACHUSETTS STATE
HOUSE, AND ON CAPITOL
HILL -- AS
LAWMAKERS TRY TO
FIGURE OUT WHY THE
"NEW ENGLAND
COMPOUNDING CENTER"
DID NOT HAVE MORE
OVERSIGHT.
ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS
FOR DISEASE CONTROL,
NEARLY 440 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
SICKENED -- AND NEARLY
THREE DOZEN DIED -- AFTER
RECEIVING STEROID SHOTS
DISTRIBUTED BY THE
FRAMINGHAM COMPANY, NEW
ENGLAND COMPOUNDING
CENTER.
THREE RHODE ISLANDERS ARE
AMONG THE PATIENTS
DIAGNOSED WITH FUNGAL
MENINGITIS.
WE KNOW AT LEAST ONE OF
THOSE PATIENTS RECIEVED A
SPINAL EPIDURAL INJECTION
FROM AN INFECTED LOT THAT
WAS SENT TO OCEAN STATE
PAIN MANAGEMENT.
recalled medication also sent to
NEW ENGLAND
ANESTHSIOLOGITS OF
WARWICK.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE
THESE FACILITIES HAVE NO
CONNECTION TO THE
PRODUCTION OF THE STEROID
INJECTIONS.
IN ALL 266 PATIENTS IN RHODE
ISLAND RECEIVED THE
RECALLED MEDICATION.
TOMORROW, THE HEAD OF THE
FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION WILL TESTIFY
BEFORE THE HOUSE ENERGY
AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE
ABOUT THE MENINGITIS
OUTBREAK --
AND ON THURSDAY, THE
INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE
MASSACHUSETTS HEALTH
DEPARTMENT IS ALSO
EXPECTED BEFORE CONGRESS.
DOCTOR LAUREN SMITH IS
EXPECTED TO TELL
LAWMAKERS THAT TROUBLING
QUESTIONS REMAIN ABOUT
WHY REGULATORS BACKED OFF
A SEVERE PENALTY AGAINST
THE PHARMACY IN 2004 -- AFTER
PRODUCT SAFETY AND
STERILITY PROBLEMS AROSE AT
THE NEW ENGLAND
COMPOUNDING CENTER.
IN ADDITION TO THOSE
HEARINGS, MASSACHUSETTS
LAWMAKERS WILL MEET ON
BEACON HILL TOMORROW -- TO
TAKE-UP THE STATE'S
PHARMACY BOARD'S
OVERSIGHT OF COMPOUNDING
PHARMACIES.
(NE)
WE JUST CHECKED WITH
THE STATE DEPARTMENT
OF HEALTH --
ALL THREE RHODE ISLAND
PATIENTS ARE EXPECTED
TO MAKE A FULL RECOVER.
WE WILL BE ON BEACON
HILL TOMORROW FOR
THOSE HEARINGS AND
BRING YOU THE LATEST
DEVELOPMENTS.
IN THE NEWSROOM
NICOLE ESTAPHAN
EYWITNESS NEWS.
(S)
MANY POLITICIANS FIGHT
TO STAY IN OFFICE AS
LONG AS POSSIBLE --