Nationwide Recall for Compounded Drugs from North Carolina Pharmacy

 Posted on April 09, 2015 in Defective Prescription Drugs

A state inspection of a pharmacy in Fayetteville, North Carolina, has led to the recall of more than 600 drugs in a variety of dosages and formulations, officials announced in late March. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy (NCBOP) have issued a warning to medical professionals and patients regarding all compounded drugs made or distributed by the Prescription Center pharmacy, which has been since shut down.

Compounded Drug Recall

The NCBOP said in a news release that it was recalling all nonsterile and sterile products that were compounded, repackaged, and distributed by the pharmacy from September 10, 2014 to March 10, 2015. The listing of recalled products includes antidepressants, antibiotics, antiviral medications, immunosupressants, and others which were distributed to all 50 states and Canada. “This recall is due [to] the pharmacy's inability to ensure sterility, stability, and potency for these products,” the Board of Pharmacy said. While no complaints of injuries have been received by the board, the NCBOP and FDA are advising clinicians to quarantine any products from the Prescription Center and not to administer them to human or animal patients.

Dangerous Compounded Drugs

Compounding pharmacies specialize in creating drug products by mixing ingredients to meet the needs of a particular diagnosis or patient. It is far less prevalent in today's pharmaceutical landscape than several generations ago, but still serves a very necessary purpose.

There are some risks, however associated with compound drugs. Contaminated ingredients can cause serious illness or death, as was the case in 2012 when patients contracted fungal meningitis due to a contaminated steroid. Additionally, the compounding environment and practices are extremely important and failure to adhere to sterility and safety standards can have deadly consequences. Substandard practices can lead to unreliable results, product contamination, and lower product stability, all of which can directly impact the safety and efficacy of a compounded drug.

Qualified Defective Drug Lawyers

If you have become ill or suffered any type of adverse effect that you think may be related to a contaminated or poorly compounded drug, you should the help of a lawyer who knows how to help you. Contact the experienced Illinois defective drug attorneys at Newland & Newland, LLP today for your free phone consultation. Our dedicated team understands the law and how to assist you in collecting the compensation you deserve.