OGDENSBURG -- Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center says the medication linked to the recent meningitis outbreak is not used at CHMC.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration are coordinating a multistate investigation of fungal meningitis among patients who received an epidural steroid injection with a potentially contaminated product.

This form of meningitis is not contagious. Several of these patients also suffered strokes that are believed to have resulted from their infection. The investigation has expanded to include fungal infections from other steroid injections.

CHMC’s Director of Pharmacy Greg Guimond said, “CHMC only uses FDA approved medications including therapeutic steroid injections used at our pain clinic. We have never purchased any medications from the suspected source, NECC (New England Compounding Center) including the injectable steroid currently linked to the recent meningitis outbreak.”

The injections are primarily used to treat lower back pain and joint pain. The cases in the media are associated with a potentially contaminated steroid medication prepared by New England Compounding Center.

For more information, Guimond suggests the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov or contact CHMC at (888) 908-2462.