11:06AM EDT October 26. 2012 - In a series of news briefings over the past three weeks, Massachusetts officials have expressed surprise and outrage over the operations of a drug compounding company blamed for a nationwide fungal meningitis epidemic that has claimed 24 lives, nine in Tennessee.
Massachusetts records, however, show that officials of New England Compounding Center and a nearby firm with the same owners gave clear notice as early as 14 years ago that they were not acting as normal pharmacies. In fact, they got permission to bypass the law.
In 1998, NECC asked that it not be required to carry a wide range of common medicines because it would not be selling directly to the public.
In 2003, the company told the Massachusetts pharmacy board that it routinely compounded and stockpiled drugs before getting prescriptions for specific patients as required by state law.
In 2006, sister company Ameridose also applied for and received a waiver from regular pharmacy rules.
Since the outbreak of fungal meningitis linked to NECC's products, Massachusetts officials have been quick to claim credit for prompt and decisive action.
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