Pharmacy Probe Expands; Deaths Rise to 20

U.S. drug regulators have expanded their investigation of a pharmacy linked to an outbreak of meningitis. The New England Compounding Center of Framingham, Mass., has been shut down since last month. At least 250 cases of meningitis caused by a fungus have been linked to steroid shots made at the pharmacy. Most of them were linked to a fungus called Exserohilum rostratum. The infections have caused at least 20 deaths. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed October 18 that this fungus was found in one lot of steroid vials made by the company. The FDA also said it is looking into the cause of infections among 3 people who received other kinds of drugs made by New England Compounding. The fungus involved in the steroid injections is commonly found in nature. FDA still is looking into how it could have contaminated the drugs used to produce the steroid shots.