Fungal meningitis outbreak prompts FDA advisory

Minnesota health care providers are being urged to contact any patients who received a drug injection manufactured by the New England Compounding Center.

The government warning comes after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration identified three new possible cases of fungal meningitis in patients who received NECC products that had not previously been implicated in the current meningitis outbreak.

The FDA has not confirmed that the new fungal infections were caused by a New England Compounding Center product. It's possible that thousands of Minnesotans could be notified of their risk in the days ahead, said Richard Danila, assistant state epidemiologist with the Minnesota Department of Health.

"I think what the FDA is saying is use your professional judgment," Danilia said. "But at least they're strongly encouraging, if not telling physicians, to contact the patients."

The FDA advisory includes, but is not limited to, a wide range of steroids as well as a cardiac solution and an injectable eye drug used during surgery. Patients who may be experiencing meningitis symptoms will be referred for testing.

"FDA and the CDC and even NECC to date do not have a list of all the clinics or hospitals or doctor's offices that have purchased these products, let alone a list of patients that might have been injected with them," Danila said.

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