Authority of FDA was depressed

The fungal meningitis outbreak that started in September last year had substantial influence upon America. Contaminated injectable steroids were produced by the New England Compounding Center (located in Massachusetts) and used by many persons. As a result, over 400 persons were contaminated with fungal meningitis in more than 20 states. 39 individuals contaminated with this disease died. 14 deaths were in Tennessee.
It became evident that it needed to do anything for prevention of such cases. Contamination must not occur in future. The FDA had to meet with representatives of all states for discussion of this problem. Thus, lately a meeting took place in order to find ways linked with prevention of contamination in the future.
It was affirmed during the meeting that new rules on compounding centers should be implemented.
Representatives of some states claimed that they did appropriate job in their states and no any individual suffered from troubles related to contamination. Moreover, they noticed critically that they were not aware of what occurred in other states.
When it comes to the FDA, its authority over such cases is not established appropriately. Federal court cases which were during past years reduced the authority of the FDA essentially. Moreover, several rules seem to be unclear.
Margaret Hamburg, the FDA Commissioner, expressed the proposal to improve the situation through the following modifications:
- to control training of state regulators;
- to induce sharing information between the FDA and states;
- to escape from ambiguity in laws.

These proposals seem to be justifiable. Such changes must help to induce improving public health of Americans. Of course, if laws contain ambiguity, no any agreement will be achieved. That’s why new rules should be implemented and existing rules should be altered.
The FDA hopes that state regulators will coact with it in order to prevent manufacturing and shipping contaminated medications.