CDC: More than 90 people ill with meningitis

Last Updated 4:21 p.m. ET

ATLANTA Health officials say they have now confirmed more than 90 cases of a rare fungal meningitis that has been linked to a steroid commonly used to ease back pain.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted updated figures to its website Sunday. The death toll stood at 7, the same number as a day earlier.

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Meningitis outbreak linked to Mass. pharmacy

The steroid linked to the outbreak has been recalled, and health officials have been scrambling to notify anyone who may have received an injection of it.

On Saturday the pharmacy that distributed the steroid, meant for back pain, has issued a voluntary recall of all of its products.

The New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Mass., announced in a news release that the move was taken out of an abundance of caution because of the risk of contamination. It says there is no indication that any other products have been contaminated.

The Food and Drug Administration had previously told health professionals not to use any products distributed by the center.

The outbreak is spread across nine states, the same states reported Saturday: Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia.

The CDC figures show there are 91 cases in the U.S. altogether.

• Meningitis outbreak death toll rises to 7 Meningitis outbreak spotlights risks of drug mixing
• Tenn. meningitis outbreak tied to steroid shots

Meanwhile, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., is calling for stronger government oversight of so-called "compounding pharmacies."

Blumenthal said Sunday that he will be writing to U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg to ask for stricter scrutiny of such pharmacies. He said the facilities appear to operate in a "regulatory black hole" and are only marginally overseen by the FDA.

Blumenthal says he will be proposing more authority for the FDA in such cases, if needed.

[DMLORRAINE777]

Hey Sen. so called Blumenthal, your statement shows you know NOTHING about compounding pharmacies. Compounding pharmacies save my life everyday. I do not have to take and am unable to metabolically tolerate standard pharm meds that are heavily contaminated with multiple TOXIC excipients. The compounding pharmacies are already more regulated than standard pharmacies. Independent (non-gov pharm cartel connected) laboratories should start doing microbiological testing on many of the so called, what you think is uncontaminated, cartel medications, which kill more than 750,000 people PER YEAR and start having them all pulled from the market. Hey how bout we start with the "so called" uncontaminated heavily contaminated vaccines heavily claimed as safe that are killing childrens immune systems EVERYDAY!
Game on!

[MUSAorg1]

The Meningitis Foundation of America (MFA), a national organization, would like the public & media to know that information is available regarding the diagnosis, treatment & prevention of meningitis. MFA was founded in 1997 by parents whose children were affected by meningitis. In addition to supporting vaccination & preventing meningitis, the MFA provides information to educate the public & medical professionals so that the early diagnosis, treatment &, most important, prevention of meningitis, will save lives. Meningitis is a dangerous & often times fatal inflammation of the brain &/or spinal cord that can leave survivors with serious life-long physical problems MFA would like to be considered as a news resource for the disease. For further information, visit the MFA website at www musa org.

Thank you,
MFA
Box 1818
El Mirage AZ 85335
480 270 2652
World Meningitis Day 24 April 2013
www comoonline org
Educate~Vaccinate~Eradicate

[poetjem]

I sure hope it was not used by orthopedic doctors for shoulder injections. in NC.

[OklaN8ive]

Hello PoetJem. On Thursday Oct. 4th, I was in a hospital awaiting a spinal tap for the testing needed on this steroid mess. Just wanted to let you know that there were a couple of people in there that had received the injections in their shoulders. If your MD or Surgical affiliation have not contacted you, then maybe you should contact them, for your own peace of mind. Good Luck.

[marybeagle]

I am one of these patients, originally my Dr called me last Thursday to let me know about the possible contamination. At that time not too much was known after so much coverage I called my Dr back again Friday and asked about the 3 lot numbers on the CDC website and also they have the names of the businesses and the phone numbers of the facilities. YES, I am one of the patients that received the contaminated medication. So far I am ok, other then worried symptoms usually show up from 1 week to 4 weeks after injections .Look up CDC website for this information.I work in the Health field and after relocating to my current state I needed a Pain Management Dr again and I never thought about being injected with bad medicine. My only concern was getting an experienced, professional, Dr that had a great following. I did find this Dr and I actually feel bad for him and his business. This is not his fault, he is extremeley concerned whether his 189 patients that did receive the contaminated medication are going to be all right. I sure hope that now these Compound Agencies will be more closely followed and regualted

[zebra8835]

The New England Compounding Center is in Framingham, Mass. Is this where the medicine was produced or was it in a foreign country? Often, medicines are produced in the country that's the "cheapest," to maximize profits. I wonder if this was the case here?

[Lerianis4]

If they were made overseas, I'm going to be pissed. Why? We have ample evidence that allowing medicine to be made overseas and imported into America leads to contaminated or outright counterfeit medicine.

[retmw1]

It's all about the bottom line with these companies, patient safety is the lowest on their priority list.