Drug Linked to Michael Jackson Death Probe Subject to Limited Recall For Bacterial Contamination

Pierce Egerton

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Two lots of a generic form (propofol) of the drug Diprivan -- a drug Michael Jackson reportedly took before his death -- have been recalled. According to CNN, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a health advisory on July 14, 2009, that two lots of the generic drug made by Teva Pharmaceuticals were contained the bacterial contaminant endotoxin.

The contaminated drug caused as many as 40 patients in Arizona, Florida and Missouri to experience chills and fever. FDA officials are examining a Teva manufacturing facility in Irvine, California, where the tainted lots were produced.

Teva spokesperson, Denise Bradley, told the Associated Press that there is no apparent connection between the endotoxin-tainted drug lots and the death of Michael Jackson on June 25. According to Bradley, the tracking number on the vial that Drug Enforcement Administration investigators found at Jackson’s home was not the same as the numbers of the recalled lots.

Meanwhile, the investigation into MJ’s death continues. As sister LaToya sparked headlines with startling allegations of murder, Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter sought subpoenaed documents from Jackson’s dermatologist and LA homicide detectives interviewed Cherilyn Lee, a nurse who provided nutritional therapy to Jackson.

Lee told the AP that the detectives said, “the day the paramedics came, he (Jackson) had a lot of track marks.” Lee said MJ asked her for Diprivan to treat his insomnia, but that she refused to help him obtain the drug. Lee said Jackson claimed if he took the drug he would be “fine as long as I’m monitored. Lee said she took that to mean that MJ had used Diprivan previously.