The Senate passed legislation by a vote of 38-0 to increase regulatory oversight of compounding pharmacies in the Commonwealth through added enforcement powers and the creation of specialty pharmacy licenses. This bill follows a deadly outbreak of fungal meningitis that was traced to a drug compounded by the New England Compounding Center in Framingham.
According to the Framington Patch, the bill arms the Board with new enforcement powers, allowing the Board to assess penalties for pharmacy violations and suspend a pharmacy or pharmacist if there is a reasonable concern for the health, safety or well-being of the public.
In addition, the bill requires the Board to report any investigatory and disciplinary actions and a summary of all serious adverse drug events to the Department of Public Health, the Joint Committee on Public Health and the Joint Committee on Healthcare Financing.
