Meeting On Deadly Meningitis Outbreak

{Washington, D.C.}…About 440 people have been sickened by contaminated steroid shots distributed by Framingham, Massachusetts-based New England Compounding Center, and more than 32 deaths have been reported since the outbreak began in September. According to congressional investigators, federal health inspectors wanted to shut down the pharmacy linked to a recent deadly meningitis outbreak nearly ten years ago. The NECC has been closed since early last month, and Massachusetts officials have taken steps to permanently revoke its license. The pharmacy has recalled all the products it makes, including 17,700 single-dose vials of a steroid that tested positive for the fungus tied to the outbreak. A meeting is set for Wednesday to examine how the outbreak could have been prevented.