A NCSL article reports that a fungal meningitis outbreak in a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy led lawmakers in 15 states to introduced 25 bills addressing the authority to regulate these facilities, which make customized drugs for specific individuals who cannot use a drug in its common form. States are responsible for regulating pharmacies, but, as the article explains, overseeing large compounding pharmacies is a problem because they function more like a drug distributors. The lawmakers in the 15 states are trying to figure out the best way to regulate these pharmacies to prevent future tragedies without overregulating the industry.
For more information on Compounding Pharmacies, see OLR 2013-R-0009.
