By Nick Tabor, New Era Senior Staff Writer
The
Massachusetts
company blamed for the meningitis outbreak had systemic problems with
sterilization in its drug lab, state inspectors found.
Two
Hopkinsville facilities, plus others throughout Kentucky and Tennessee,
have been using products from the company — though mostly not the ones that
cause meningitis. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released an exhaustive
list this week of the company’s customers.
The
manufacturer, New England
Compounding Center,
has recalled all its products. So Jennie Stuart Medical Center has ceased using
a muscle relaxant it produced, called Robaxin, and has notified all 73 patients
who have received the drug since May.
The
FDA has not reported any illnesses associated with Robaxin. Jennie Stuart’s
letter to patients described the recall as a precautionary measure, according
to a hospital news release.
