Lawmakers seeking Justice Dept. probe of pharmacy

(AP)—U.S. legislators want the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether the company linked to a nationwide meningitis outbreak violated federal laws or regulations.

Rep. Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, told the department in a letter that New England Compounding Center may have tried to skirt federal policy on the sale and distribution of controlled substances.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, also has asked the Justice Department to launch a criminal probe into the outbreak, which is linked to steroid shots distributed by NECC.

A spokesman for Framingham, Mass.-based NECC had no comment on Markey's letter but says the company is cooperating in ongoing probes by other agencies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 233 illnesses, including 15 deaths, in 15 states are linked to the outbreak.