FDA failed to use its authority properly

The meningitis outbreak resulted from tainted epidural steroid injections could have been prevented. But since the FDA didn’t utilize its power for this purpose properly, over 500 persons were contaminated with this disease and 39 persons died.
Tennessee officials displayed competence under these circumstances. They were praised by legislators for their definite actions.
It was announced that many individuals that had received steroid injections produced by the NECC experienced complications. When Tennessee health officials found out about this situation, they enforced all health facilities to stop utilizing products manufactured by the compounding pharmacy from Massachusetts. Moreover, they informed immediately about contamination health officials of other states. Actions of Tennessee health officials were quick and definite. They acted with no doubts and did everything in order to prevent further contamination and improve help those that were already contaminated with meningitis.
If Tennessee health officials hadn’t been so decisive and competent, more individuals would have been contaminated with fungal meningitis and more deaths would have occurred.
When it comes to the FDA, it showed incompetence. It didn’t utilize its authority definitely in order to improve the situation. Then it tried to justify its negligence, claiming that its authority was not cleared and established enough to interfere in such large-scale compounding pharmacies, as the NECC. However, legislators didn’t accept the FDA’s excuse.
Tennessee health officials deserve to acquire a gold medal for their efforts.
Although several individuals consider that they could avoid contamination, warnings about risks continue to exist. Numerous individuals are still at the hospital. Others are contracted by health officials. If any adverse symptoms occur at injection sites of those who have administered the tainted steroids, they should inform physicians immediately.