Here are some of the latest health and medical news
developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:
Subpoena for Director of Pharmacy Linked to Meningitis
Outbreak
A subpoena for the director of the pharmacy linked to the deadly
meningitis outbreak has been issued by the U.S. House Energy and
Commerce Committee.
More than 400 people in 19 states have been sickened by
contaminated steroid shots distributed by the New England
Compounding Center in Massachusetts. Thirty deaths have been
reported, according to the
Associated Press.
The subpoena was issued after the compounding pharmacy's
co-founder, Barry Cadden, indicated through his lawyer that he
would not voluntarily attend a House committee hearing scheduled
for Nov. 14, the news service reported.
"Since Mr. Cadden has indicated he will not appear voluntarily, we are left with no choice but to issue a subpoena," said committee chairman Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., the APreported. "We urge Barry Cadden to put the public health first and answer the committee's questions about the deadly outbreak."
On Tuesday, a Senate health committee staff member said Cadden
had not confirmed whether he would attend a Senate hearing
scheduled for Nov. 15, the
APreported.
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2nd Person Infected With SARS-Like Virus in Saudi Arabia
A second person in Saudi Arabia has been infected with a new
respiratory virus related to SARS (severe acute respiratory
syndrome), government officials confirmed Monday.
In a statement, Saudi Arabia's Health Ministry said the patient
was hospitalized with "pneumonia caused by the new virus known as
novel Coronavirus," the
Associated Pressreported.
The patient had not traveled outside the capital city of Riyadh
and has since recovered from his pneumonia, according to the
statement. It did not say when, where or how the patient contracted
the virus.
The case brings to three the number of people sickened by the
virus in the Gulf region in recent weeks, the
APreported.