Ted Kennedy had targeted pharmacies involved in meningitis outbreak

[riverwalker]

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1061167341&srvc=rss

Ted Kennedy targeted pharmacy
But lobbyists killed ’07 bill

Saturday, October 13, 2012

U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy pushed for tighter regulations that may have prevented the nationwide deadly meningitis outbreak tied to a Framingham compounding pharmacy but was stopped cold by a well-financed industry group.

“The reaction of the compounding pharmacy group was to mount a very aggressive lobbying campaign,” said a former Kennedy staffer. “They identified pharmacists in key districts and sent them to lobby members.”

The industry group shunned requests to shape legislation and waged an “unprecedented” campaign to kill the draft bill, the former staffer said.
The late senator’s bipartisan legislation, the Safe Drug Compounding Act of 2007, would have given the federal Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate compounding pharmacies, which are now monitored by states, and to require sterile drug mixing.

Framingham-based New England Compounding Center, which federal officials said is the source of fungus-contaminated steroids that have killed 14 people and sickened 184 in 12 states, was only inspected after complaints, according to officials.

Compounding pharmacy groups opposed the legislation to give the FDA wider authority, according to a 2007 letter the groups sent to Kennedy and two Republican co-sponsors.

“We strongly urge you to reconsider introducing this draft legislation,” stated the letter from the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists and eight other trade organizations.

The academy has spent more than $1 million lobbying lawmakers in the past decade, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
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[Horse with no Name]

1. Everyone who can be linked to killing this legislation

should face murder charges. Without exception...regardless of party affiliation.

[yellerpup]

3. Scott Brown was one of 10 senators

who signed onto a letter asking the FDA to lay off. From centerfold to murderer and he didn't have to leave his office in DC to do it.

[upi402]

6. Scott Brown needs to get un-elected

This guy is a poser and we need another Teddy back in there.

[yellerpup]

7. Elizabeth Warren is the one for the job.

He's going to get un-elected real soon.

[Iggy]

2. And....?

the rest of Congress? asleep at the wheel on this one??

[riverwalker]

4. Teddy tried to protect us

he knew how dangerous this would be unregulated. Those 14 who died horrible deaths would be alive today. The fungus involved is Exserohilum (found in grass and soil) and Aspergillus, found in soil and leaves! The fact that it was in "sterile" vials is terriying.

[bluestate10]

9. What the information that you presented would say is that sanitation standards at the facility

are lax. The residue could have come from workers sitting on the grass at lunchtime, or from a person that is a gardener. Regardless, if the substance came in on a person, there should have been isolation techniques in routine use that kept it out of medicine.

[tarheelsunc]

5. "Tighter regulations"... but, but, regulations are bad!!!! blah blah blah

All that matters to the conservashits really is the bottom line of the business owners, isn't it? I miss Ted Kennedy, we need more politicians like him in this country.

[Warren DeMontague]

8. See? The unregulated free market works!!!

People who use crappy pharmacies get sick, and their business suffers ... Sort of... several years later. Oh, sure, there may be some "collateral damage", but that is preferable to meddlesome and pesky government regulation!

Right?