More than 250 cases of meningitis, 20 dead from outbreak caused by compounded steroid
October 18th 2012The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported as of October 18 that 247 patients have developed fungal meningitis and 19 have died after receiving epidural steroid injections with contaminated methylprednisolone acetate, which was recalled from New England Compounding Center (NECC) on Sept. 26.
Two Congressmen ask Justice Department to investigate meningitis outbreak
October 17th 2012Two lawmakers are asking the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to open a criminal investigation to determine if the New England Compounding Center (NECC) violated any state or federal laws, directly contributing to the contamination of steroid products that were distributed to more than 20 states.
Combination therapy provides rapid sedation for acute agitation in ED
October 17th 2012Use of concurrent sedating agents provides rapid sedation and reduces the need for resedation in acutely agitated patients, according to clinical trial results published online September 14 in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.
Hospital's changeover of bed-med record system a hassle to implement but a resounding success
October 15th 2012A bedside medication verification system at Cook Children's Medical Center (CCMC) in Fort Worth, Texas, has resulted in a 97% rate of compliance with electronic scanning of medications and patients.