Marlborough pharmacy among those cited for violations

The Marlborough compoundingpharmacy West River Pharmacy was one of 11 pharmacies in the state found to be violating industry standards after state officials conducted a series of 40 unannounced inspections, state officials said Tuesday.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health Tuesday said it began the unannounced inspections of compounding pharmacies last fall, following the nationalfungal meningitis outbreak caused by the New England Compounding Center in Framingham.

West River Pharmacy was ordered on Dec. 20 to cease and desist all sterile compounding and quarantine all prepared sterile compounds in its possession, DPH said Tuesday in a press release.

Officials found that the pharmacy was not be following required standards with regard to facility design and control, DPH said.

West River Pharmacy submitted a plan of correction in January, DPH said.

As a result of the surprise inspections, 10 other partial or complete cease and desist orders were issued to pharmacies for a variety of violations, DPH said.

DPH cited another 21 pharmacies for minor deficiencies that have since been corrected or are in the process of being corrected, the release said.

Interim DPH Commissioner Lauren Smith said the findings demonstrate why the state should give more money and create more laws to strengthen monitoring of compounding pharmacies.

In the meantime, the state Board of Pharmacy has issued some new regulations since the NECC outbreak last fall and Gov. Deval Patrick hasfiled bills to further regulate compounding pharmacies.

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Marlborough pharmacy among those cited for violations