When patients enter a hospital for treatment, they may be anxious or worried about the treatment or procedure itself and any possible side effects. However, any Pennsylvania product liability lawyer knows that sometimes unforeseen consequences can occur when the products and supplies used by the hospital are defective or tainted.
Patients who have received treatment in hospitals around the country, including in Pennsylvania, are now experiencing mental distress over the recent outbreak of fungal meningitis from tainted steroids. More than 200 people have become ill from the steroids. Fifteen people in 15 states have died so far. The tainted medicine was traced back to one pharmacy. Now the Food and Drug Administration is scrutinizing all injectable medications originating from this company.
A patient who has been treated with any of these tainted medicines and becomes ill as a result may be able to bring a product liability suit against the manufacturer. Drug manufacturers have a duty to ensure that they are producing safe products by testing them before they are sold to hospitals, doctors and patients. In some situations, the doctor or hospital may also be liable, but only if the doctor or hospital was aware that the drug was tainted before it was administered to the patient.
One drug from this company that is used in open heart surgery may have been shipped to Pittsburgh-area hospitals. Four Pittsburgh-area hospitals perform open-heart surgery, and two have confirmed that they did not buy medicines from the pharmacy in question. Currently, the other two hospitals are checking their records. Area patients would be wise to check their medical records to see whether they have been given the medication in question.
Source: CBS Pittsburgh, “FDA Concerned Over Possible Tainted Drug For Heart Surgery,” Maria Simbra, Oct. 16, 2012