UPDATED: NECC 'Will Never Practice Again in Massachusetts'
Gov. Deval Patrick announced on Tuesday the permanent revocation of the compounding pharmacy's license.
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UPDATED, 4:05 p.m.: Gov. Deval Patrick announced at a press conference this afternoon that the Board of Pharmacy has voted permanently to revoke the license of New England Compounding Center, the compounding pharmacy at the center of a nationwide meningitis outbreak.
A health official also released some preliminary findings of an investigation into NECC.
"(NECC) will never practice again in Massachusetts," Patrick said at the press conference, which was streamed live on MyFoxBoston.
The DPH and the FDA, both of which oversee pharmaceutical companies (the company falls outside the purview of local oversight) continue to investigate NECC, which is linked to 23 deaths and hundreds of outbreaks.
An official announced at the press conference that on 13 occasions, NECC shipped orders from lots before confirming from their own test results that they were sterile.
An exam of NECC records also indicated a failure of NECC to sterilize products for the necessary minimum amount of time.
Some areas, meant to be sterile, were found dirty.
Patrick said the ongoing investigation, which includes a criminal component, will inform state and federal regulations.
He said the pharmacy board will start conducting unannounced inspections of compounding pharmacies, at least once a year.
Rick Carlson
6:36 pm on Tuesday, October 23, 2012
And NECC was in violation for essentially the same problems back in 2002, but the State backed off on a formal reprimand. License revocation should only be the start of a world of hurt for Cadden, Conigliaro, et al. The State might also be a defendant/respondent.