This Story is so sad as many People have lost their lives because of this, But whats not known is every where the batch of steriod used for treatment of back pain, Misters and Sisters please be cautious of any Invasive injections, Some of the steroids in these Blocks are not intended for intrathecal usage, IM sure with this highlighted in The by ABC News Many Arachoiditis Patients are contacting these New Stations and sharing their story Sharon xx soft hugs xx
The outbreak of aspergillus meningitis has been linked to spinal steroid injections, a common treatment for back pain. A sealed vial of the steroid, called methylprednisolone acetate, was found to contain fungus, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
"FDA is in the process of further identifying the fungal contaminate," said Dr. Ilisa Bernstein, acting director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Office of Compliance. "Our investigation into the source of this outbreak is still ongoing."
The steroid came from the New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Mass., a specialty pharmacy that has recalled three lots of the drug and shut down operations. Calls to the pharmacy were not immediately returned and their website is down.
Twenty-five of the meningitis cases -- three of them lethal -- have been in Tennessee, where more than 900 residents received the drug in the past three months.
Cases have also been reported in Virginia, Maryland, Florida, North Carolina and Indiana.
Roughly 75 clinics in 23 states that received the recalled lots have been instructed to notify all affected patients.