Republicans: FDA uncooperative in meningitis probe
Posted at: 02/01/2013 3:36 PM
By: The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - House Republicans are threatening to subpoena documents from the Food and Drug Administration as they investigate whether the agency could have prevented a deadly outbreak of meningitis caused by contaminated drugs.
Republicans on the committee investigating the outbreak sent a letter to the FDA, demanding the agency turn over internal documents concerning the New England Compounding Center.
The pharmacy produced a contaminated steroid, used mainly to treat back pain, that is blamed for fungal meningitis that has killed 45 people and sickened more than 600.
The FDA inspected the Massachusetts-based pharmacy three times and issued a warning letter in 2006, but never shut the operation down.
The lawmakers say they will consider issuing a subpoena if the agency doesn't turn over key documents related to the case by February 25.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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