Here locally, we have several key developments to tell you about on this story tonight. The company at the heart of the outbreak can no longer operate in Tennessee, and it's now facing the first lawsuit here. Janet Russell hasn't left the hospital since September 18. It's why attorney Randy Kinnard just filed a $15 million lawsuit for Russel and her husband. She's the first Tennessean to sue the New England Compounding Center that produced steroid injections medical officials say caused Meningitis. Janet Russell received that injection at an outpatient clinic at St. Thomas on August 30. Like many other Meningitis patients, she was trying to relieve back pain and never realized there was a danger.

"Never dreamed anything like this could happen," says Kinnard. "I'm sure none of the other patients who've had this happen thought it would happen either."

Stories like Russell's have lead to another development. The State Board of Pharmacy just accepted the New England company's offer to voluntarily surrender its license. Health attorney John Smith says the company was actually using the wrong license to ship its medication.

"After this point in time, we're gonna be taking a careful look making some compounding companies comply with the law," says Smith.

That manufacturing license could have brought greater scrutiny of a company some say hasn't been very open. Attorney Kinnard expects to file 12 more lawsuits in the coming days against the New England company. A decision hasn't been made whether to sue St. Thomas Hospital. If you have any questions about the Meningitis outbreak, just go to our website, Fox17.com. Look under HOT TOPICS and click on MENINGITIS.
Company at Heart of Outbreak Faces First Lawsuit in Tennessee Monday, October 15 2012, 05:47 PM CDT