Public/Global Health

Compounding pharmacies were responsible for deaths before the current outbreak of meningitis, one House Democrat charged Monday.

Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) released a report that chronicles the rise of compounders, which remix medicines for patients with special needs, and the patchwork of regulations that applies to them.

Markey's report alleges that at least 23 patients have died and 86 have been seriously sickened or injured as a result of medications distributed by compounding pharmacies in recent decades. 

Healthcare providers along East Coast prepare for Hurricane Sandy [free with reg.].

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Massachusetts shuts down another another compounding pharmacy. 

Declining federal investment in medical research weakens U.S. global competitiveness, a coalition of advocacy groups charged Thursday.

In a new report, Research!America found that federal spending on medical research and development declined by 14 percent, or more than $6 billion, between fiscal years 2010 and 2011. Automatic spending cuts set to hit in January would further decrease the National Institutes of Health's budget by $2.53 billion.

Advocates for U.S. research investment have criticized the automatic cuts, known as the "sequester," for months. This week, Research!America chairman John E. Porter said the cuts would stifle the American economy down the line. 

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee is demanding a slew of documents in light of a deadly meningitis outbreak that has spread to 18 states.

Pressure has been mounting from Congress, now in recess, for answers on the spate of illnesses. Most have been tied to tainted steroid injections administered for back pain. The injections came from the New England Compounding Center (NECC), a Framingham, Mass.-based company that remixes drugs to fit patients' needs.

The NECC has recalled all of its products and surrendered its state license. But its role in the outbreak has raised questions about rules that govern so-called compounding pharmacies. The operations are not obliged to follow many of the regulations that apply to drugmakers, and several Democratic lawmakers have called for new laws that would enable stricter oversight. 

Leaders with the House Energy and Commerce Committee are pushing the compounding pharmacy behind a national outbreak of meningitis for more documents.

Committee leaders wrote to the New England Compounding Center (NECC) on Monday requesting all inspection reports, internal guidelines and communications with federal and state regulators.

Lawmakers also complained that no one affiliated or formerly affiliated with the NECC had agreed to brief committee staff. 

Leaders on the House Energy and Commerce Committee are questioning whether federal regulators did enough to prevent a major outbreak of meningitis.

Nine lawmakers wrote to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday asking how it handled regulatory violations at the New England Compounding Center (NECC) in 2004 and 2005.

The NECC is responsible for the tainted injections tied to at least 19 deaths around the United States. 

A top House Democrat is pushing a bill to create reporting requirements on antibiotics given to U.S. livestock.

The new measure from Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) seeks to combat the widespread use of certain drugs in animal feed, a practice studies have shown increase antibiotic-resistant infections in humans.

Waxman's bill would mandate disclosure from drugmakers and feed mills about the types, purposes and quantities of antibiotics fed to farm animals. 

CDC: Meningitis outbreak rises to 205 cases. 

Brown giving away donations from compound drug execs.

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Mass. pharmacy founder had background in recycling.

Business groups filed a lawsuit Friday to block New York City's ban on large sodas.

The city's health board approved Mayor Michael Bloomberg's ban on large sugary drinks last month. The policy outlaws sodas larger than 16 ounces at restaurants, movie theaters and similar venues.

A coalition that includes the American Beverage Association and the National Restaurant Association filed suit Friday to stop the ban from taking effect, according to media reports.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) is pushing the Justice Department to investigate the compounding pharmacy behind a deadly outbreak of meningitis.

In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Blumenthal noted Thursday that the national death toll from tainted steroid injections has reached 14 and that thousands of patients are "still at risk."

"Obviously, I have reached no conclusion as to criminal liability, but there seem to be sufficient, credible factual allegations and harm to warrant this [investigation] request," Blumenthal wrote.