The fungal meningitis death toll increased to 15 on Monday October 15th when a second Indiana patient was pronounced dead due to complications related to the infection. The CDC has continued to work with the FDA to investigate the fungal meningitis outbreak. Current reports by the CDC show 205 confirmed cases of fungal meningitis and 15 deaths have occurred across 14 of the 23 states that received contaminated epidural steroid injections from the New England Compounding Center in Framington, Massachusetts.
As new cases of fungal meningitis are confirmed and the number of fatalities continues to increase, the Massachusetts Attorney General has begun to investigate the pharmacy company that compounded these injections. The Attorney General’s office is seeking to determine what led to the distribution of the tainted medicine. A federal criminal investigation was requested yesterday by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal to determine any potential violations of law which may have led to this outbreak.
A woman in Minnesota filed a lawsuit in federal court on Thursday alleging a steroid injection that she received has caused her to experience symptoms similar to those of patients who have contracted fungal meningitis. She is currently awaiting the results of her medical tests to confirm whether or not she has the infection. The CDC has stated that symptoms of a fungal meningitis infection could take anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks or longer to appear in a patient that was exposed to the contaminated injections.
If you or someone you care about received an epidural steroid injection and has contracted fungal meningitis or a serious injury, contact us. Our personal injury product liability attorneys have experience handling cases involving dangerous drugs and defective medical devices. It is important for you to understand your legal rights and options and get compensation for your injuries. The initial consultation is free of charge and no legal fees will be collected unless your claim is paid.