Several compounding pharmacies across the country were recently forced to recall their products after federal inspectors found sanitation issues at their facilities.

Compounding pharmacies mix sterile specialty drugs for patients who had specific prescriptions. Last year, filthy conditions at a New England compounding pharmacy resulted in a multistate fungal meningitis outbreak that killed 53 patients. In response to the fungal meningitis outbreak, the FDA ramped up its inspection of compounding pharmacies around the country.

The most recent compounding pharmacy recall involves drugs made by Florida-based Balanced Solutions Compounding Pharmacy. FDA inspectors have concerns that the pharmacy’s supposedly sterile products contain bacteria. The company is licensed to operate in all 50 states, including California. Doctors and patients who have received drugs from the pharmacy are instructed to stop using or distributing the products and follow the company’s recall instructions.

Source: The Washington Post, “Balanced Solutions Compounding Pharmacy recalls sterile drug products,” Lena H. Sun, April 21, 2013