Tennessee pharmacy recalls steroid injections

A Tennessee compounding pharmacy on probation has voluntarily recalled an anti-inflammatory steroid injection in at least 11 states after seven patients developed abscesses in North Carolina and Illinois, officials said Friday.

State and federal health organizations are investigating Main Street Family Pharmacy, LLC, in Newbern, Tennessee, and its preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate, or MPA, a steroid product used for a range of conditions.

The pharmacy "is currently on probation as a result of a recent inspection," the Tennessee Department of Health said in a statement. The agency didn't provide further details.

The Tennessee Board of Pharmacy licensed the compounding pharmacy in 1985, the state health agency said. It was licensed as a manufacturer/wholesaler/distributor in 2010, the state agency said.

Officials with the compounding pharmacy couldn't be immediately reached for comment Friday.

Cooperating with authorities, the pharmacy has voluntarily recalled all of its sterile products, including MPA, authorities said.

No cases of meningitis or other life-threatening infections have been reported, authorities said.

"Health officials believe, in reviewing preliminary information about when the material could have been appropriately used, there is not an ongoing risk to those now needing treatments," the Tennessee health agency said.

Melthyprednisone acetate is an injectable form of a popular steroid medication and is used to treat inflammation throughout the body. It's most commonly used to treat arthritic joint pain, but can also be used for other conditions like allergic reactions, sports-related injuries, immune system disorders, certain cancers and various other types of inflammatory diseases.

In the wake of the recent complications, the Food and Drug Administration and Tennessee health officials began inspecting the facility on Wednesday.

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Tennessee pharmacy recalls steroid injections