Pennsylvania woman who says painkiller shot gave her fungal meningitis sues Framingham pharmacy, owners

A Red Lion, PA resident who says she's still suffering from the fungal meningitis she got from a painkiller shot a year ago, yesterday filed a federal lawsuit against the New England Compounding Center in Framingham and against the individual members of the Conigliaro family who owned and ran it.

In her suit, filed in US District Court in Boston, Michele Erkan recounts what she says happened after she received "a caudal epidural steroid injection from the Wellspan Interventional Pain Management facility in York, Pennsylvania:"

In the immediate days following the November 10, 2011 injection, Ms. Erkan developed high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and subsequently received a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) confirming a diagnosis of fungal meningitis. She was bed-ridden for over a month suffering from nausea, continued vomiting, severe, headaches, and hypersensitivity to light. She continues to suffer from severe headaches, hearing loss, shortterm memory loss, and remains on a variety of medications. Since her bout with fungal meningitis, Ms. Erkan has been unable to work, forced to rely on social security disability checks, and suffers from severe depression.

Her lawsuit, which details the history of state and federal action against the pharmacy and various Conigliaros and relatives, seeks unspecified punitive damages. The suit was also filed on behalf of her 12-year-old son, whom she says now has to worry about whether she can continue to care for him.