DOVER, Del.- Delaware's Division of Public Health warns patients who received spinal and joint injections to watch for signs of contaminated steroid injections. The warning comes in response to the Food and Drug Administration's expanded recall of all New England Compounding Center medications.
The DPH said it was advised by the FDA that 13 Delaware health care providers received NECC medications that are part of the expanded recall. Officials said that so far, no illnesses in Delaware have been linked to the medications.
The DPH said facilities that received the NECC compounds have been contacted and all have stopped using the NECC products. Patients who received injectable product will be contacted by their facility.
The implicated medications may have been administered into joints, the spine or eyes or used during heart surgery.
According to the DPH, the following list includes Delaware facilities identified by the FDA as having received NECC medications:
- Advanced Eye Care PA - received injectible drugs
- Anesthesia Providers - received injectible drugs
- Bayhealth Medical Center - received non-injectible drugs
- Beebe Medical Center - received injectible drugs
- Richard Bonder, MD, PA - received non-injectible drugs
- Christiana Health System - received injectible drugs
- Christiana Spine ASC - received injectible drugs
- Glasgow Medical Center - received non-injectible drugs
- Lewes Surgery Center - received injectible drugs
- Pain Center of Delaware - received injectible drugs
- Precision Pain and Rehab - received injectible drugs
- St. Francis Hospital - received injectible drugs
- Swier Clinic - received non-injectible drugs
The DPH is advising anyone experiencing the following symptoms following joint or spinal injections received after May 21 to contact his or her health care provider.
Symptoms include: fever, new or worsening headache, nausea, and new neurological deficit. Symptoms typically have occurred within 1-4 weeks following injections. However, fungal infections can be slow to develop, and there are reports of longer periods between injection and symptoms. Patients and their doctors need to watch closely for symptoms for at least several months following the injection.
People with concerns about NECC medications should call the DPH's Bureau of Epidemiology at 1-888-295-5156. For more information and the FDA's list of recalled medications, go to http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm322734.htm
