The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are advising physicians to halt use of any product originating from the New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Mass. For ophthalmology practices, this would include Avastin, which NECC compounds for use in intravitreal injections.

The joint CDC and FDA action is the result of the government’s ongoing investigation into a meningitis outbreak, with 35 cases identified in six states. All of the infected patients received injections of preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate originating from NECC.

The agencies are urging physicians and other health care providers to check their drug supply and purchase records to determine if they have obtained products from NECC.

NECC received earlier warnings from the FDA about opening sterile vials of Avastin to compound it for ophthalmic use. Drugs originating from NECC should be removed from inventory until the investigation into the source of the outbreak is complete and further information is provided by the FDA.

For more information, contact the Academy’s Governmental Affairs division at 202.737.6662.