The death toll from a fungal meningitis outbreak continues to climb across the country, and at least 15 people have died.
The outbreak isn’t contagious. It stems from a contaminated shipment of steroids produced at The New England Compounding Pharmacy in Framingham, Massachusetts.
The Massachusetts state Bureau of Health Care Safety and Quality has reported that the compounding pharmacy in question was not following the requirements of its state license. And that begs the simple question, how are compounding pharmacies regulated? On the state or federal level? Could this sort of contamination and outbreak happen in every state?
The Takeaway spoke with our local pharmacist to see what kinds of rules and regulations he’s beholden to, and what kind of neighborly advice he had for some concerned would-be patients.
John Fazio is co-owner and pharmacist at the New London Pharmacy just down the street from our studios here in Manhattan.