Medical and pharmaceutical products are tested extensively before they are launched onto the market, but when pharmacies and physicians misuse the drugs, they can lead to serious products liability issues. That is just what happened in the case of one Tennessee pharmacy, which has been placed on probation in connection with compounded steroid injections that allegedly caused abscesses. It is not clear whether any Montana residents were affected by the 11-state product recall.

Official reports show that the facility, Main Street Family Pharmacy, is under investigation for its use of a preservative-free compound called methylprednisolone acetate, a medication used for a variety of health problems, including allergic reactions, sports injuries, some cancers and severe inflammatory diseases. These medication injections were supposed to be sterile, but it appears as though some kind of contamination may have been introduced into the products.

The scare comes in the wake of a spate of meningitis and other life-threatening infections that were caused by steroid injections in patients’ spinal areas. Several people died and others were severely injured when a compounding pharmacy allowed its stock of steroid injectables to become contaminated in 2012. Like the compound that caused those problems, it appears that this batch of steroids was contaminated by a fungal vector.

So far, it seems that current patients using the drugs should not be concerned about risk of infection; the danger was related only to a specific batch of materials. At least five people in Illinois alone developed abscesses in connection with the product use, which occurred in January and February of this year. State and local health facilities are also evaluating two incidents in North Carolina that could be connected to the use of the contaminated product.

If you or a loved one has sustained injuries because of steroid injection use, consider seeking the services of a personal injury attorney. These professionals can help you get the money you need and deserve to restore your health, and treat any conditions associated with the product liability.

Source:  www.cnn.com, “Tennessee pharmacy recalls steroid injections after 7 people get abscesses” Michael Martinez, May. 24, 2013