Seven patients in Tennessee are sick after injections from a compounding pharmacy, health officials say. AHCJ has some presentations from a recent panel, The Boston Globe’s award-winning coverage of a similar outbreak and a questionnaire about how they reported on it and more resources for reporters who are looking into compounding pharmacies.
Presentations from a panel at Health Journalism 2013:
From compounders to drug shortages: Covering pharmacies and pharmacists
• Michael R. Cohen, R.Ph., M.S., president, Institute for Safe Medication Practices
• William Churchill, M.S., R.P.H., chief of pharmacy services, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• John Walczyk, pharmacy manager, Johnson Compounding and Wellness Center
Keldy Ortiz wrote about the panel for Covering Health: Growing challenges to safety, adequacy of drug supply
Previous coverage
The Boston Globe‘s coverage of a fungal meningitis outbreak tied to contaminated drugs won first place in the public health category of the 2012 Excellence in Health Care Journalism Awards. See the coverage as well as a questionnaire about how they reported on the topic.
FDA regulation
In her tip sheet on the anti-aging movement, Arlene Weintraub touches on compounding pharmacies. She notes that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration has tried unsuccessfully to put a halt to improper marketing claims by compounding pharmacists and its continuing efforts in this area are well worth following. In the aftermath of the earlier meningitis outbreak traced to a compounding pharmacy, at least two legislators said they will draft legislation to give the FDA more oversight of compounding pharmacies.
On April 26, senators introduced a draft bill to make clear oversight responsibilities for pharmaceutical compounding.
Budget Victim: Inspections For Compounding Pharmacies, WBUR, May 20
The FDA has a section of its website devoted to compounding pharmacies.
Transparency
This also might be a good time to remind public officials that there is now guidance on what information should be made public when someone dies or falls ill during a public health emergency. The document – developed by leaders in public health and health-care journalism – provides a framework for releasing such information as the age and location of private individuals who have been affected by an epidemic or other public-health event.
Pharmacy industry groups
- Senate draft proposal would clarify FDA authority over high-risk compounding, American Pharmacists Association
- Independent community pharmacist testifies at U.S. House hearing on pharmacy compounding, National Community Pharmacists Association
- National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations
- American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
- National Association of Boards of Pharmacy
- International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists
- Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board
- Professional Compounding Centers of America
… As we gather more resources, we will add them to this post …
