We'll find out eventually.... it will take some time.

Injecting into a joint space is also dangerous with less virulent
organisms like this fungus because there is little immune protection in the joint capsule interior, there too.

I hate to be a doomsday person, but I worked a short contract in home infusion, and I would never work full time in that capacity. I was very relieved to leave.
All one needs is a couple of disgruntled employees and you would faint if you saw what I saw where I worked --and that was almost a decade ago!

NECC is listed on the net as having 60 employees! Very difficult to supervise that many IMO. Typically only a very small number are licensed pharmacists at home infusion or compounding pharmacies.
There are licensed infusion technicians.

It could very well be that things like this were going on for a while and just never caught. With all the many shortages going on now in the past 2-3 yrs on so many drugs, including injectables, compounding pharmacies are filling that niche more and more.

There are frequent procedures done to test the air quality and cleanliness. They even run cultures periodically. All one needs is some mess-up at this task, and mayhem can result.

I agree it is very sad and very scary too.

More disturbing news of another incident:

http://news.yahoo.com/suit-firm-prov...225304842.html

Or are the Doctors still doing the same injections? I am so glad that I did not get the injections in my neck. Two Doctors wanted to give them to me. I refused. It was in July & August. I am thankful that I listen to that little voice in my head.

This article answers Dubious' question about other injection sites and risk:

http://news.yahoo.com/cdc-meningitis...201601881.html

Mentioned in this article is an ankle injection.

The Doctors are still giving injections. Why? People are scared to death. With worry that they are going to get sick. Since they had the injections. Do the Doctors really care or is it just the cash their getting. I just don't get it. I hope everyone that had a injection are okay. God bless

This article explains the "safety issues" involved with epidurals.

There has always been a risk with this route of treatment near the spine (CNS). Should the needle be placed imperfectly by just a tiny amount...the drug would pierce the dura and enter the CNS. The preservatives in the brand name are not FDA approved for use inside the spinal cord because animal experiments have shown damage.

So the doctors order the preservative free compounded product instead.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...eroid/1616653/

The brand name product comes with a dry powder that is mixed with a sterile diluent liquid before use. This takes time and care and I can see the premixed type from a compounding pharmacy would be easier, and the dosage would be already figured out and less errors would be likely. But preservative free means that extreme care must be taken. Most sterile products have preservatives in them to keep down the growth of any accidental organisms present.

SoluMedrol, comes in a preservative free version and is a brand name, and as such is much more expensive than the compounded types.
At the bottom of this link is a diagram of how to reconstitute the product with the diluent:
http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed...o.cfm?id=58932
When looking at this link, it is very apparent how complex this treatment really is.

This article explains the complications possible with epidural steroids:
http://www.apsf.org/newsletters/html...8_epidural.htm

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...436/1409/rss36

more and more disturbing facts coming to light.

Horrifying!

http://news.yahoo.com/u-meningitis-o...062256456.html

I shed some light on this in one of my other posts and I believe it to be true. I have no data to back it up but I can add 2+2 and as my son says it equals 5! The recent pill mill laws were a growing trend, hyped by an "epidemic". Treating physicians can no longer prescribe their known patients with narcotic pain medicines. Instead they have to seek out "PAIN Clinic's" some of which are pill mills, pay the cash get what you want, go to the next one. The one's that nee it cannot get it. The ones who want it get more than they need.

It never was about patient safety. In Florida at least our Governor opposed the pill mill law and was lobbied by those who operate them. Its big bucks. The DEA stepped in and questioned every single doctor about their prescriptions and why they prescribe this to said patient and then ask why that is a better alternative than say, yoga. Finally as of July 1 , 2012 you have to have a certification as a pain doctor to prescribe. You can see where this is a pain in the royal butt for doctors.

The answer to the problem started becoming popular about 8 years ago. Sure they gave them long before that but the epidural/nerve root blocks started becoming the norm and is the ONLY solution at many of the "legit" Pain clinics left here in Florida. Problem is they are cutting corners buying the cheapest drug from where ever they can. There are many cases where a dirty needle was stuck back into the vial to obtain more medicine!Just as there were always injections, there were always complications.

The injection trend is here to stay! There is far more money to be made with it than there ever was writing a script. Most places charge on average between $1500-$1800 per injection and do it up to 3 times in 6 months. They charge for office visits on top of that and have you come in for follow ups inbetween. They could only charge for the office visit prior to these and the whatever kickback they received from the pharmaceutical companies. In addition to this they are not bothered at all by the DEA! So for them it is a free for all, win situation no matter how you look at it.

Injections anyone?