Committee Leaders Seek More Information From Massachusetts Firm Linked to Deadly Meningitis Outbreak

WASHINGTON, DC – House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders today requested a bipartisan briefing from the New England Compounding Center (NECC) regarding the recent multi-state fungal meningitis outbreak that has proved fatal for over a dozen individuals. Federal officials have linked the contaminated spinal steroid injections responsible for the outbreak to the NECC in Framingham, Massachusetts. Earlier this week, the committee leaders requested briefings from the CDC and FDA.

The members wrote, “We will be meeting with FDA, CDC and others that may provide insight into the details surrounding this outbreak and the prevention of future outbreaks. Given this continued interest, we ask that you preserve all documents and communications that may be relevant to understanding how the product was contaminated and distributed as well as the business practices of the NECC in general.  In addition, we ask that you make arrangements with Committee staff to schedule a briefing on these matters to occur no later than October 18, 2012.”

Joining Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman (D-CA) in signing the letters were Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Cliff Stearns (R-FL), Ranking Member Diana DeGette (D-CO), Health Subcommittee Chairman Joe Pitts (R-PA), Health Subcommittee Vice Chairman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), and Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ).

###