Congressman Calls for More Regulations of Compounding Pharmacies

As the death toll rose to 9 individuals, and the number of cases across America grew to 105 individuals in 9 states, Massachusetts Congressman Edward Markey, whose district includes Framingham said coumponding pharmacies like New England Compounding Center, at the center of a national meningitis outbreak, including potentially tainted medication at Mineola-based health center Action Sports, fall into a "regulatory black hole."

As the , the U.S. Rep. sent a letter to Food and Drug Administrator Margaret Hamburg.

In the letter, he questioned the FDA on how many compounding pharmacies are their in the United States, beyond Framingham-based New England Compounding Center. He suggested legislation may be needed to strengthen the regulatory process of these specialty pharmacies.

The . Last week, thegovernment told doctors to not use any of the company's products, but over the weekend

The CDC said Monday, as many as 13,000 people may have received a steroid shot. Health officials do not know how many of the shots, dating back to the summer, could be tainted with fungal meningitis.

While the company was licensed in all 50 states, the company and health officials believe none of the tainted steroids were distributed in Massachusetts. Products by the company were distributed in the Bay State.