I’m sorry to hear that you were harmed by a drug made by a compounding pharmacy. Compounding pharmacies make customized pharmaceutical products designed to meet the individual needs of a patient. They are very widely used, however, the products they make are not regulated by the FDA in the same way that other drugs are.
Compounding pharmacies combine, mix, or alter the ingredients of a drug to make something that will meet the needs of a specific patient. Compound pharmaceuticals may be needed when other available drugs don’t meet the needs of a patient. There are approximately 7,500 pharmacies that specialize in compounding in the U.S. Compounding can also be done in hospital pharmacies and other locations.
Compounding drugs are not FDA-approved. In general, the states have the responsibility to oversee compounding pharmacies to ensure they are in compliance with federal rules. This means that if a state lacks the resources to oversee the drugs that are coming out of compounding pharmacies, problems can result. In Texas recently, 68 patients suffered vision loss from eyedrops made by a compounding pharmacy before the problem was discovered. This occurred allegedly because of a lack of oversight by the state and the lack of a good mechanism to identify the problem.
If you believe that you have been harmed by a drug that came out of a compounding pharmacy, you should speak with an attorney. The pharmacy has the legal obligation to make products which are safe for consumption. If you are in Los Angeles, call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney, at 310-385-0567. I can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.