Replies to post #150178 on Biotech Values

[jbog]

Considering that hospital medical errors cost approximately 200,000 lives per year the compounding problem is trivial at best.

[DewDiligence]

Cover story in today’s Boston Globe cites egregious disregard for QA at Ameridose, the sister company of NECC (the facility responsible for the outbreak of fungal meningitis):

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2012/10/17/merging-families-fueled-drug-businesses-center-meningitis-scare/hGKaZuhoGGjJm1YRqa4x4K/story.html

Some of the firms’ former workers say they saw a downside to the rapid growth. Ameridose warned prospective hires that it needed “high-energy” workers who could regularly work weekends or evenings.

“The environment is very fast pace,” the company said in recent help wanted ads. Several former workers said the company suffered from high turnover and pressure to meet orders. Two former co-workers said some employees spoke little English, increasing the possibility of critical errors.

A pharmacist who worked at Ameridose said she quit in 2009 after the company decided to try using quality control workers, rather than highly trained pharmacists, to make sure the right drugs were present before filling intravenous bags.

…Ronnie Leger, who worked in packaging at Ameridose, said he was also concerned about the hectic pace and safety. For instance, when sterile syringes and drugs fell to the ground, he said workers sometimes picked them up, quickly wiped them off, and shipped them anyway.

Leger said he was fired last year after he complained about the safety practices, including workers being exposed to noxious odors one day. He said he filed complaints with the FDA and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. A spokesman with OSHA confirmed it has an active whistleblower investigation into Ameridose, but would not provide details.