Mass. Acts Against 3 Compounding Pharmacies After Inspections

Massachusetts has taken action against three more compounding pharmacies following unannounced inspections that were ordered in the wake of a deadly fungal meningitis outbreak linked to a Framingham pharmacy.

-- OncoMed Pharmaceuticals in Waltham was ordered to temporarily stop compounding due to problems with the storage of chemotherapy drugs.

-- The Whittier Pharmacist, in Haverhill, was ordered to cease sterile compounding after violations were found.

-- Pallimed Solutions, of Boston, was told to halt production of one of its drugs for human use.

The interim commissioner of the Department of Public Health, Dr. Lauren Smith, said her staff will continue inspecting compounding facilities throughout the state.

"The effectiveness of unannounced inspections are that they're surprised so that you're able to capture what people are doing when they're not expecting to be scrutinized," Smith said.

State health officials also announced on Thursday that three new members had been named to the 11-member board that regulates pharmacies. The new appointees fill the positions of two board members whose terms expired and a third position that had been vacant.

The meningitis outbreak has been blamed for 36 deaths nationwide.

With reporting by The Associated Press and the WBUR Newsroom