Woburn pharmacy cited by state

A Woburn pharmacy was one of 11 issued cease and desist letters by the state after inspectors started making unannounced visits in the wake of a nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak that began at a Framingham compounding pharmacy.

PalliMed Solutions Pharmacy in Woburn was ordered to stop producing sildenafil citrate on Nov. 27 after inspectors discovered the pharmacy used improper components in the drugs preparation. It has since submitted a correction plan for review.

Beyond merely distributing medication, compounding pharmacies produce special batches of medication for individual patients.

New England Compounding Center in Framingham was allegedly using its compounding license to produce wholesale quantities of medications in violation of its license, and unsanitary conditions lead to the shipping of tainted steroids causing 696 infections and 45 deaths in 20 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

In the wake of that outbreak, the Board of Registration in Pharmacy started unannounced inspections on the states 40 sterile compounding pharmacies and has since ordered 11 pharmacies to close or shut down some of their operation, according to the Department of Public Health.

"The disturbing results of these inspections, and the need for regulators to force the closure of all or part of 11 compounding pharmacies, are further evidence of another systemic failure of oversight by state government," said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr in a statement. "If the current system tolerated this degree of regulatory noncompliance, then clearly, its time for serious reform."

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Woburn pharmacy cited by state